


Too Close to Tell You

by Sapharen



Category: Star Wars the Old Republic - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, And Depression/Anxiety Awareness, Anxiety, Breakin Rules and Makin Rules, Depression, Everyone has some sort of PTSD, Feels Train sometimes, Help, Hopefully will help with PTSD Awareness, I need reassurance to keep this going, Light Side Sith, Lots of plot, Lots of story change, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Slow Burn, Some Humor, Strangers to Friends, friends to lovers eventually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-13
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2019-07-11 18:46:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 37
Words: 111,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15978248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapharen/pseuds/Sapharen
Summary: Please if you enjoy it leave a kudo. If you want to leave advice, be free to leave a comment. I will admit I need help on this one. It is my precious baby and I want a long successful life for it but I'm afraid I'm going to end up failing it. Any critic or encouragement is appreciated. Much love!Also will update the ratings and tags as I go.





	1. Come With Me

**Author's Note:**

> Please if you enjoy it leave a kudo. If you want to leave advice, be free to leave a comment. I will admit I need help on this one. It is my precious baby and I want a long successful life for it but I'm afraid I'm going to end up failing it. Any critic or encouragement is appreciated. Much love!
> 
> Also will update the ratings and tags as I go.

The newly acquired apprentice of Darth Baras walked into Malavai Quinn's office. Quinn was expecting him, of course, but didn't expect him to be followed by a Twi'lek of all things. He didn't see a slave collar on her, however, perhaps she was a mercenary? Though, her lack of armor made him think otherwise. The Sith next to her was a different story, however. He was fully geared from the neck down. Why he opted for no helmet was a mystery, but being a Sith was the most likely reason. _Sith._ The word alone dripped off his tongue like the most potent venom. Beings of incredible power and they choose to flaunt it by demonstrating it on the innocent. His wife was one such innocent. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time. A perfect specimen of a soldier, she was. Even if it was an arranged marriage, Quinn always admitted that she was the best pick for him, performance wise. Now, though, she was just another headcount in the long and bloodied path of the Sith. This new apprentice that Darth Baras picked up was no different, Quinn thought. He had to be... All Sith were the same.

  
Ander and Vette walked into Lieutenant Quinn's office, just as Ander's new master, Darth Baras, had instructed. Ander looked at the stoic officer that waited for him at the other end of the room. _God damn._ Ander thought. Quinn wasn't super hot or anything, but he was quite good looking. Deep blue eyes that didn't betray their wearer in any way. They were clear and stole all of Ander's attention. So much so, that Ander missed the small step between the two halves of the room and face planted, right in the middle of the room. _Good job, oh great and powerful Sith! Now there is no way he will ever take you seriously..._ And, just like that, all of Ander's pride was gone. Ander lifted himself off the floor and looked up to see both Vette and the lieutenant at his side. Vette was stifling a laugh but Quinn was sincerely, or perhaps not, - Ander had hoped it was the former- worried for his well being. "Are you alright, my lord?" Ander had no idea why, but the way he said _my lord_ sent a shiver down his spine and a warmth to his cheeks. Ander decided it was best not to linger on the thought too long and shook his head. "No- I mean yeah. I'm fine, thank you, um... What's your name again?" Ander asked. Darth Baras had told him when he was on the ship, but he honestly couldn't, for the life of him, remember anymore. Vette rolled her eyes. He was so nice, almost too nice. Lieutenant Quinn blinked, dumbfounded that a Sith even cared to know his name. It took him a little longer to respond, because of that. "Lieutenant Malavai Quinn, at your service, my lord." Quinn bowed with the utmost respect. He had to make up for the lack of response and help he had given earlier. Any other Sith would have punished him by now. Ander, however, was not any other Sith. Vette glanced between the two and noticed how Quinn hadn't moved an inch. She wasn't even sure that he was still breathing. Ander noticed it too. He decided the best approach was mimicry. Ander returned Quinn's graceful bow. "Thank you, Quinn," Ander said. Quinn finally figured out that Ander wasn't going to do anything to him and relaxed. Standing straight, once more and finally looked at Ander. Not just look at him, but _look at him_. His expression was soft and his eyes even softer. They didn't show a power hungry warlord, but instead a kind and thoughtful person. Perhaps, Quinn had been wrong, perhaps this Sith was _different_. How silly, the thought was, but it made Quinn happy to think of it. Ander grew restless, the silence coming from the lieutenant was igniting his anxiety - a dark and seething shadow that rumbled in his belly, searching for a reason to make him falter. "Um..." Quinn immediately shook from his thoughts and gave the Sith his full attention. "Is it alright that I call you by your last name or would you prefer your title used instead? I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable..." Ander trailed off, trying not to ramble. "Whatever you wish to call me is fine, my lord," Quinn said, though he was still surprised that Ander even cared to ask. He didn't let these thoughts linger as long, this time and moved to the holoterminal next to his computer. He turned it on and waited for Baras to appear, before turning back to Ander and clasping his hand behind his back. Baras was pissed. The anger seethed through his hologram and into the room. The Sith Lord turned to Quinn and immediately moved his arm in a slapping motion. An unstoppable force smacked Quinn across the face, but he didn't dare move. He merely took the hit and turned his head back to its previous position. "What took you so long? I was beginning to wonder if you would even make the call, you useless-"  
"Master!" Ander spoke up. He couldn't stand the way his master treated the people in his charge and he wasn't going to let this continue if he could help it. Baras turned and saw his apprentice, who was also letting off an aura of anger. No doubt impatient to complete his mission. "Ah apprentice, of course. You will have to excuse me. I often get carried away." Baras said, his tone much smoother but just as wicked. "Despite the atrocious wait time I had to endure..." Baras trailed off, causing Quinn's breathing to hitch. "Lieutenant Quinn will be your liaison for this mission. He is the best officer the Empire has had in recent years and despite some mistakes, he has more than earned a chance to prove himself. Think of this as a test for the both of you..."

  
The call with Darth Baras finally ended and everyone relaxed. Ander turned to Vette and handed her his payment card. "Vette, take this and get some kolto stims. I feel like we will need them for this mission. Meet me at the speeder, when you're done." Ander said. Vette saluted him, in a mocking manner, before leaving the building. Ander waved her goodbye, before turning to Quinn. He hadn't moved from his position since the call ended. Ander sighed softly and reached for him. Quinn instinctively flinched. Ander immediately felt horrible and retracted his hand. "I'm sorry that he hit you. He had no reason to and yet he did so anyway. I should have done something earlier... I'm sorry." Ander said. Quinn didn't respond at first, making him feel even worse. Ander figured he should do something, anything to make him see that he wasn't like Baras. He had never officially learned how to use the Force to heal anyone, but other students had taught him bits and pieces of what they had learned. He slowly raised his hand to Quinn's face, again.  
Quinn didn't dare move, his instinct screaming at him to not move a muscle. His mind was telling him to prepare for further punishment. It was guaranteed, a predictable response for his continued failure. He _deserved_ it.  
Ander concentrated on the Force beginning to gather in the palm of his hand. At first, it was hot, like the anger he felt for Baras and Quinn was beginning to rethink his opinion of the Sith standing before him. Soon enough, however, the heat dissipated and shifted to a more pleasant temperature- one that was cool, yet filled with a cozy warmth that seemed to soothe the sting away from his cheek. If there was one thing that never ceased to amaze Quinn, was how long injuries caused by the Force seemed to persist. Quinn didn't claim to be an expert on the Sith or the Force, but he knew that when you were punished by the Sith, you would continue to feel it for days afterward or you'd be dead. Still, though, he couldn't deny the soft, cozy feeling that was being released onto his face at that moment and finally glanced up. His gaze was met with a worried look on a kind, young man. Ander slowly retracted his hand, once Quinn's eyes had met his- taking the gesture as confirmation that he had done enough. The sting was gone from Quinn's face, his pain was no longer existent. He was at a loss for words. Not only had this Sith- no, this _person_ \- interrupted his master, treated a lowly Imperial officer with kindness and respect, but had also gone above and beyond to **heal** him. Quinn didn't deserve such kindness. He. Didn't. Deserve. _This_.  
"Thank you, my lord." Ander smiled, his grin was probably larger than he had intended but that was fine. Quinn had thanked him. That alone was good enough for Ander, but the smile that followed was the tipping point. The lieutenant had graced him with a small smile. "No problem. I mean it was the least I could do since- well, you know." Ander grinned, simply ecstatic. There it was again- his anxiety urging him to run. _You've done what you've needed to do, time to go before you fuck things up!_ Ander backed away quickly, he didn't want to leave things like this, but his anxiety wouldn't let up. "Well, I guess I will see you later- bye!" Ander zipped out of the building as quickly as he could. He ran all the way to his speeder before catching his breath. He really hoped he hadn't blown his chances.

 _The mission had gone as smooth as anyone had hoped it would. Darth Baras’ spy was dead and, thanks to Quinn, the Jedi Knight Mashallon was now on her way to Imperial Prison. Ander was practically bouncing with joy when Baras announced that Lieutenant Quinn would be able to re-assign himself anywhere he chose._  
_“You could come with me!” The words just slipped out before Ander could stop himself. The realization set in before anyone could turn to look at him, confusion plastered on their faces. “I mean- If you want to. You don’t have to of course…” Ander’s voice shrank in volume, to the point it was a mere whisper. Quinn graced him with another small smile, before returning his attention to Darth Baras._

  
Now Vette and Ander sat in the cantina, while Ander dispensed all his insecurities to Vette. Vette simply rolled her eyes and sipped her drink while Ander rambled on. “I mean, goddammit Vette. He probably thinks I am a fucking weirdo or something. Who the fuck does that anyway?” Ander cried, slamming his head into the table with a loud thud. He didn’t care though, the pain was so much nicer than having to face the realization that he may never see Quinn again. _And he was so cute too._ Ander thought. Vette finished her drink and sighed, turning her head to look at the poor excuse of a Sith, sitting across from her. “Probably someone who enjoys their company? Really, Sith, you shouldn’t beat yourself up for something like this. I already told you, what you said didn’t surprise me, it was just how excited you were, that did. Though, I really shouldn’t have been. You had a major hard-on for him.” Vette winked, giving him a mocking smirk in the process. Ander was not amused. “Now come on, we should really get back to the ship. You got shit to do, Sith.” Vette practically had to drag Ander away from the table, as they made their way back to the ship.  
When they got to the hanger, Ander wasn’t paying attention but noticed Vette stop in her tracks. She turned to him. “Oh, look. Guess he agreed with you, after all.” Vette smiled and Ander looked up to see Lieutenant Malavai Quinn waiting for him in front of his ship. Ander practically ran towards him. Quinn kneeled before him and before he could speak a word- “You’reheretojoinmycrew,right? If so, yes, I accept. Please come with me.” Ander was quick to the point, that was for sure. Quinn stood once more and simply nodded, another smile on his face. Ander couldn’t stop himself this time. He lunged forward, wrapping his arms around Quinn and hugging him tightly. Quinn wasn’t quite sure how to handle the situation and simply opted to a friendly pat on Ander’s shoulders. To which Ander quickly released him and apologized profusely. Eventually, all three of them made it onto the ship, excited for what adventures awaited them.


	2. Take My Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so this is just a small chapter retelling how I felt about the gift and approval system back in the day. I mean, you were basically bribing them to love you. Which is actually really funny when you take into account the thousands of credits I spent on these two.

  
Ander walked out of his room, on the Fury, to see Quinn and Vette sitting in the main room, actually tolerating each other in close proximity. Quinn was working on his tablet and Vette was playing a game on her’s. This was wonderful progress! After all, their first attempt at a casual get together did not go as planned. It began well enough, or so Ander had hoped, with them all leaving the ship and going to the cantina at Vaiken Spacedock and ended in Vette storming back to the ship. Quinn didn’t fare much better, with him just leaving the booth to head to the bar. They later apologized to Ander but never to each other. Ander was so afraid that they would never be able to work together because of this, but today seemed to quell those fears. _Finally,_ Ander thought, _the plan can be put into action!_

Ander walked up to the silent pair and stood there until Quinn finally looked up, nudging Vette to attention. “Ok, so, since you are getting along so well lately. I bought you a bunch of stuff to celebrate!” Ander looked between the two, a giant smile painted on his face. “My lord, if I may speak freely; that is not necessary,” Quinn said. Vette nodded in agreement. “Especially since we haven’t done anything… _together_...” Vette trailed off. “B-but! You haven’t argued in a couple of days! I see that as great progress and it deserves a reward. Please accept the stuff, I already ordered it…” Ander looked at them with big puppy eyes. When he begged, he got what he wanted usually, but when he flashed those sad eyes it was just impossible to argue with him. It didn’t take long for either of them to give up. “Fine.” They sighed, collectively. Ander immediately ran to the storage room and returned with two giant crates, which he easily lifted with the Force. The crates each had a capital letter printed on the top of them. A “Q” for Quinn’s crate and a “V” for Vette’s crate. Both of them were speechless, their jaws dropping as the crates fell to the ground with a loud bang. “Now before you say anything, most of this stuff is different types of gear and weapons that you will no doubt keep in the storage room. I did, however, buy both of you a new uniform to wear. Yes, Quinn, it is an official Imperial requisitioned uniform. Though, I did have it custom dyed and tailored.” Ander said, opening the crates before them.

Vette immediately dove for her’s, as was expected of her. Quinn, however, was still trying to remain humble and politely refuse the overly generous gift… Until Ander pulled out the new pistol he had added to his wish list when he was browsing blasters on his tablet two weeks ago. Ander wasn’t going to miss any opportunity to get this boy to love him and if he had to bribe him to do, well by god he was gonna spoil him. Quinn gently took the pistol into his hands before approaching the crate, curious at what else his lord had bought for him. They spent the rest of the afternoon going through the crates, talking and laughing at their prizes. It almost felt like Life Day had come early.

 

Quinn left the storeroom after changing into his new uniform, to present himself to Ander and Vette. Though he very much wished Vette wasn’t present. She had been very childish and irritating in the past and he was not looking forward to the jokes sure to come. However, as he stepped into the main room, he didn’t hear any comments… yet. After a moment of silence, Vette finally spoke up. “Damn, Sith. Who knew you were good with colors too.” Vette said. There was a hint of laughter as she spoke but otherwise was vacant of any mockery. “Vette… Are you blushing?” Ander joked, giving her a taste of her own medicine. Vette immediately turned and hit Ander’s shoulder. Ander laughed, returning his attention to Quinn. “You look good, Quinn.”

“Thank you, my lord, but may I speak freely?” Quinn asked. “Of course you may. I told you, didn’t I? You matter no less than I or Vette. Your voice matters just as much as mine. You can speak your mind at any time.” Ander smiled. Quinn nodded, resuming his thought. “This jacket is for the wrong rank, my lord.” Quinn pointed to the gold badges, which were plentifully scattered around the breast area of the jacket. “Do you honestly believe anyone will question your rank when you are walking around with me?” Ander asked, but he didn’t give Quinn time to respond before continuing. “Also, you look good in black. You can’t deny that and if you want the rank to go along with the jacket, just put my name on all the forms. Not a problem.” Ander gave him a sly wink. He couldn’t help but roll his eyes at that.

Quinn noticed Vette was holding something, out of the corner of his eye, and turned to her. “What do you have there Vette?” He asked. Vette lifted up the plush above her head. “I got it out of the crate while you were changing. It’s a nerf plush, isn’t it cute?! I never knew I needed this until I got it.” Vette brought it back down and rubbed her face against it. “It is soooooo soft and sooooooo cuuuuuuuuuute.” Quinn focused on the plush. Its black beady eyes and pink fabric tongue sticking out of its mouth did have a certain charm but didn’t appeal to Quinn’s refined tastes. Quinn nodded, just to make Vette happy. Ander stood up and took out the fabric at the bottom of the crates. Quinn assumed it to be a form of packaging until he noticed the patterned Empire symbols on his. Vette’s was just a simple purple color, though she didn’t seem to mind its simplistic nature and stared on with curiosity. Ander took the two sheets with him, past his room - where some miscellaneous equipment floated after him - and into the crew’s quarters.

Quinn and Vette followed him and watched as he went to work. He would have offered to help, but it didn’t take Ander long to finish and he would, no doubt, turn the help down. His lord would often work with his hands, during their downtime. He even seemed to enjoy it. Ander secured the sheets over their respected beds, which they had claimed, allowing them to be pulled back and forth to offer some privacy. He didn’t stop there, though. Finishing off the little project, Ander secured some LED lights on either side of the sheets. They glowed dimly enough so they wouldn’t be an issue when they were trying to sleep, but bright enough so that they could be enjoyed at any time. Ander pulled back the sheets, admiring his work before he turned to his crew. Quinn and Vette were speechless. Vette immediately hugged Ander, quietly thanking him the entire time. When she finally released him, she went over to her little den and crawled in, closing the curtain behind her. Ander stood up and locked eyes with Quinn, just for a moment. Quinn bowed, ever so graciously, and saluted Ander. Not the response Ander was hoping for but he nodded and moved aside to let Quinn get to his bed. Ander left the room and returned to his own quarters. Quinn watched him leave and wondered if perhaps he should repay him for this. He finally crawled into his bed and closed the curtain behind him. He forgot to change into his sleeping attire, though, as he lazily stared at the blue LEDs and their dim glow lulled him to sleep.

Ander returned to his room and layed on his bed. _Mission success._

 

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TAKE MY LOVE YOU BASTARDS *I yelled as I threw expensive gifts at them*
> 
> Also, if you are wondering what Quinn's new armor is, it's the Clandestine Officer Set with any black primary dye module, though the badges won't change color, only the little string thingy.


	3. Questions and Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically just the Nar Shaddaa storyline with some minor changes.

A man with a vibroblade, similar to the ones fresh apprentices would use in the Sith Academy, charged Ander, his blade up above his head. He didn’t even get within ten feet of him before receiving a blaster shot to the head. Ander watched as he fell to the ground, easing his shoulders and sheathing his weapons. He turned around with a wide smile on his face and looked to the officer behind him. Quinn took out a scrap of cloth out of his pocket and wiped the barrel of his blaster, before hooking it back into its holster on his hip. He then returned his attention to his lord and found his gaze upon him. “My lord?” Quinn asked and Ander immediately realized that he was beginning to stare. “Oh, um- Nice shot, Quinn.” He quickly recovered. “How’s the blaster? Is it good?” Ander asked, though to be honest, he wasn’t quite sure that he had bought the right one and he really didn’t want to go through the return process. “It’s exceptional, my lord. Though I have to wonder how you knew which one I wanted if that is alright.” Quinn was quick with his replies, well, quicker now since he had joined Ander’s crew. Ander liked that about him; of course, he didn’t mind waiting for an answer, if time was needed, but he liked to know things. Ander hated it when people left him hanging. To not have an answer to one of his questions it… well, it makes him anxious. Especially if it involves Quinn. Perhaps, he’s a fool or perhaps he is just getting his hopes up but- “My lord? Are you alright?” Ander snapped out of his thoughts and noticed the worried look on Quinn’s face. _Dammit, what kind of face was I making? Why does he look like that?_ Ander thought. “I-I’m fine. Sorry, I got lost in thought. I’m glad you like the blaster and… um, don’t worry about it. I just wanted to make you happy and I got an opportunity to do just that, so I took it. Sorry if that upsets you in any way.” Ander said. He would have said more; he wanted to make sure that he hadn’t overstepped his bounds. He had to make sure he hadn’t blown his chances with Quinn, not so soon. Quinn took a moment to choose his words, glancing down at the blaster on his hip and back up at the Sith before him. “Normally, I would have thought someone would have wanted to get something out of me. A gift like this blaster,” Quinn took the blaster into his hands and swiped away the dust that had gathered over the engraving of his last name, allowing it to shine once again. “...is more than I deserve. If it were anyone else, I would have suspected them to ask for something in return. Perhaps, it would be wise of me to do so anyway, but for some reason, I can’t bring myself to do so. I appreciate the thought and the gift, wholeheartedly. Thank you, my lord.” Quinn said, before re-holstering the same gift they had been conversing about. Ander smiled, that was a far better response than he had hoped for and it was messing with his head. It didn’t show on the outside, thankfully, but Ander could have sworn that his face was on fire, with how hot he suddenly felt. Not only that, but his stomach felt like it was floating, no longer tied down by the laws of gravity. _Get a hold of yourself, Ander. Give the man a response._ “No problem, Quinn. I’m glad you like it!” Ander quickly said, though it had only been about three seconds since Quinn had finished talking. Quinn always prided himself on being observant and he definitely noticed his lord’s unnaturally quick reply but said nothing. “My lord, if I may,” Quinn started, turning away from Ander. “It would be wise for us to complete this mission quickly. Lord Baras hates to wait…” Quinn trailed off and Ander could feel the tinge of fear in his words. He hated that more than anything else in the galaxy. He hated the fear that was burned into Quinn’s heart and mind by Baras and the rest of the Sith Order. He knew, better than anyone, how horrible the Sith could truly be. He had witnessed it, first hand. The infighting for personal power and glory, the live demonstrations of power to instill fear and obedience, and of course the lack of respect for the ones who pledge their loyalty to you- they are nothing more than playthings or at best, cannon fodder on the battlefield. Ander swore, long ago, that he would never be one of _those_ Sith. He didn’t want to be worshiped, especially if that is what it took. He wanted to earn his love. Ander nodded, he knew that if he dallied any longer that Quinn would be the one punished instead of himself. He couldn’t let that happen again. “You’re right, Quinn. Let’s go.”

 

Ander approached the dead agent’s corpse, stripped of both dignity and clothing. The group responsible for this was just as ruthless as the report had said. When they stopped for supplies, a representative for Imperial Intelligence approached Ander and pleaded, begging even, for him to burn the corpse that the Flamer had posted to mock and bait the Imperials into a trap. Normally, Ander would have gladly accepted to help but he was in a hurry to finish Darth Baras’ dirty work, but when Quinn mentioned that the location was on the way to their next objective, Ander was quick to reconsider. _Might as well._ Ander thought, but now… The scene before him was not the prettiest sight. “It’s not him…” Quinn let out a sigh and turned away from the body. Ander lit the corpse on fire, as was instructed of him and turned to Quinn. “It’s not who? Were you expecting someone else?” Ander asked. Quinn shook his head. “Quite the opposite, my lord. I was hoping not to see my son’s body on this post and thankfully he was not.” Ander was surprised to hear such personal information come from Quinn so naturally. “Your son is in Imperial Intelligence? An agent?” Ander asked, his curiosity piqued. Quinn nodded slowly. “He has become everything that I could never have. I taught him everything that I knew…” Quinn paused, dropping his head slightly. “Even going so far as to instill the same caution I have with the Sith, though perhaps now I should reconsider-”

“No.” Quinn was taken aback from the low grumble in Ander’s voice as he interrupted him. Ander had turned back to the flaming corpse and watched as it continued to burn. “Keep being cautious. Keep fearing. Don’t even think for a second that any Sith is worth trusting.” Ander didn’t take his eyes off the flames, even though the heat was beginning to make him sweat. “Not even me… Quinn… I have seen what the Sith are capable of. I have watched them murder, lie, and cheat everyone that they have worked with and even _love_. The Sith are dangerous. If I have to, myself, instill that fear in you to help you survive, then…” Ander didn’t continue, but instead turned back, once more, to look at Quinn. Quinn was shocked, of course, he was, but his eyes held no fear. “I appreciate your concern, my lord.” He started. “Though I will have to inform you that I will never _not_ trust you.” Ander stepped away from the fire, the heat growing unbearable but also to better hear Quinn. “In the month that I have spent aboard your ship you have welcomed me with open arms, ensured that I was well fed and taken care of, given a spot to call home, and treated me as an equal. You have not once treated me as any other Sith has. You can not in your right mind compare yourself to any other Sith. You are incredibly kind and virtuous. You took off Vette’s shock collar, for fuck’s sake. How could you ever dare to compare yourself to anyone else.” Quinn had to stop for a moment to catch a breath. He shook his head, continuing. “...You are special, my lord. You are the one thing- the one person that is going to change our Empire. I just know it. So please, don’t say that you can’t be trusted. You are the only person I am willing to put any trust into these days.” Quinn smiled. Ander smiled back, dropping the torch and continuing onward.

 

Imperial officers lay dead before them, killed by their own allies. “Why would they attack us even though I offered peace? I didn’t want to kill them…” Ander sighed, kneeling down and closing the eyes of one of the officers. “Fear drives us to do unspeakable things, my lord,” Quinn said. Ander stood up once more. “Speaking of fear… I’m about to do something that just might give you a heart attack but I need you to trust me.”

“My lord, what-” Quinn watched as Ander jumped to an incredible height and landed on the other side of the barrier, which was between him and the group of Republic soldiers. Quinn immediately rushed towards the barrier but was unable to find a way past it. “My lord!” Quinn yelled, desperate to ensure that his lord wasn’t immediately shot down by the enemy. “Trust me!” A somewhat distant shout was heard beyond the barrier and it honestly didn’t reassure him any. Quinn shook his head and leaned against the wall, eagerly awaiting his lord’s return.

Ander was confident that he would be able to talk his way out of a fight and it seemed that the Republic commander thought the same. “Sith, I am unarmed. My name is Naughlen, I’m the commander of this group, I wish to speak with you and negotiate for our lives.” Commander Naughlen said. _Finally, some sensible people._ Ander thought. “That’s funny, and here I was coming to make some friends. My name is Ander, nice to meet you, Naughlen.” Ander reached out his hand, which Naughlen took despite being extremely perplexed. “Anyway, in exchange for sparing you, would you help me kill a fellow Imperial?” Ander asked. Naughlen nodded and quickly gave Ander his holofrequency. The last thing he wanted to do was piss off the Sith, no matter how nice he seemed. “Call and my men and I will be there,” Naughlen instructed. Ander nodded, thanking the commander before jumping back over the barrier and returning to Quinn. Quinn immediately returned to his side. “My lord, Halidrell’s base has been attacked. We must return at once!” Ander cursed under his breath and ran with Quinn back to the speeder.

 

With Agent Dellocon dead, Ander and Quinn returned to the ship. Ander sat in the captain’s chair and stared at the galaxy map, lost in thought. Quinn silently approached, careful not to startle the half-asleep Sith. “My lord,” Quinn said softly. Ander moved his head to the side, glancing up at the officer, giving him what little remained of his consciousness and his attention. “If I may be so bold to ask… Why did you spare both Lord Rathari and the Republic soldiers?” Quinn asked. He knew Ander was different, but sparing both Rathari and the Republic was just illogical to him. Ander sighed, returning his gaze to the window in front of him. “I know this is going to sound stupid but, honestly… I just wanted them to be my friends.” Now that was not the response Quinn was expecting, but he continued to listen. “When I was a kid, my father used to tell me that _in order to rule the universe, you have to have a lot of friends_. Do you know why he said that, Quinn?” Quinn pondered for a moment, but his mind was blank. “No, my lord. Why?” Quinn asked and he could have sworn he saw a small smile appear on Ander’s face for a second. “Because if you ever get in trouble, your friends will be the first ones to come help. Before your allies, your servants, or even, especially if you are a sith, your family. True friends, people who are won with kindness and friendship, will always be there for you. I have always believed that.” Ander said and Quinn understood. Quinn looked out the window of the ship and saw the stars speckle the darkness of space. “I would be there too, my lord.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay friendship!! Too bad it's gonna be like this for a while. And Quinn has a son? Yes, yes he does. He's old enough to, anyway. I mean he's 38 years old when Ander meets him. At least that's how old i think he should be.


	4. The Determination to Continue On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ander finally crosses paths with Jaesa Willsaam and gains another friend to travel across the galaxy with...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, a lot of shit happened this past month, with my dad's death and work pronouncing me to be the permanent closer despite my quiet pleas not to, but also I was going to write out Tatooine and Alderaan but ultimately scrapped them since they didn't do much to offer an expansion into Ander and Quinn's "friendship". So, guess I'll just have to burn the transcripts I made for those chapters... At least Quinn won't have to complain about the heat. :3 poor baby, hates desert planets.

"No matter what they throw at me, no matter what they say or do - I will continue on," Ander said beneath his breath, to no one in particular, but despite this, Quinn heard him. He didn't turn to look at his lord, who was sitting in the captain's chair on the bridge. He just simply listened more closely and continued his work. Ander took another deep breath and sighed. "I will not give up, even when I've been broken, beaten, and bloodied. Even if my legs won't walk and my arms won't climb - I will continue on." Quinn looked out of the corner of his eyes and saw his lord had his eyes closed - was he meditating? Quinn had always thought one did not speak whilst meditating, though perhaps this was just his way... Ander continued after releasing his long-awaited breath. "Even if all seems lost - I will not give up. I will fight for my friends, my family, and..." Quinn strained to hear the last part but alas, it was a whisper he could not understand. All that confirmed it was said, was the movement on his lord's lips, but it could have been anything. His lipreading wasn't the best, but it was better than most, and yet sadly, it did not help him this time. Quinn decided to finally move his head and give his lord, his full attention. Ander was looking out the window of the Fury, finally done with his meditation.

 _My lord?_ Quinn wanted to ask, but for some reason, his mouth wouldn't respond to his brain's wishes. "It's a mantra, a sort of prayer, I use to tell myself to keep going," Ander said, he could sense Quinn's curiosity a galaxy away. "This may surprise you, but there are days when I don't even want to open my eyes, let alone get out of bed. Sometimes I would wish, hope even, that I would go to sleep and never wake up again..." Ander swallowed what little saliva was in his mouth, hoping it would make the words come out easier. The pause was longer than he had anticipated though, and it made Quinn worry. "Sorry, this is the first time I have ever admitted this out loud, but I trust you, Quinn. Perhaps more than I should." Ander shifted uncomfortably but Quinn simply moved closer. "Are you perhaps nervous you will fail Lord Baras? That you will die to this Nomen Karr's hand? Because if that's the case-"

"It's not that. I know you will have my back when the time comes, but perhaps in a way, I am worried of dying, though not in the same way. I'm worried that if I die, what will happen to you and Vette? To my sisters? The friends and family I have to protect? Will Baras hurt all of you for my failure? I wouldn't put it past him..." Ander lowered his eyes to the holomap in front of him. They were currently docked at Hutta's spaceport and about to walk right into a trap they knew was coming. All to lure an unknowing padawan into capture and, if possible, recruitment. Ander was desperately hoping it would be the latter. His path had been a long and bloody one, that had not been his preferred outcome of choice. He had slaughtered good Imperial soldiers and even better countless innocents. But he spared whoever he could, where ever he could. Just to keep his sanity and his ideals intact. If he could, he was not going to shed unnecessary blood. He spared Jedi Master Yonlach on Tatooine and Lord Rathari on Nar Shaddaa, showing both of them, that a Sith doesn't always have to be violent to get things done or has to turn down friendship just because they are on the other side of the fence. He spared Duke Kendoh on Alderaan despite both Vette's and Quinn's opinions on the matter. Even Jaesa's parents were spared, despite his mission details clearly stating that he must kill them. If he could, Ander was going to spare this poor girl and hopefully her master, but there was a knot in the pit of his stomach that was telling him that the latter may be impossible. Still, Ander hoped. He was determined to leave this planet with one more friend. Ander returned his gaze to the stars outside his ship window and quickly glanced up at Quinn. "How long do we have left?" Ander asked. "Thirty minutes remain until the time Nomen Karr specified to be there. The shuttle ride to the planet will take approximately fifteen minutes. I suggest we leave now, so we have time to get to the hideout." Quinn said. Ander stood up from his seat and signaled Quinn to follow him.

Vette just happened to be walking by as they left the ship. "Good luck guys!" She yelled after them. Ander waved to her before the ship's doors shut behind him.

 

______________________________

 

Nomen Karr was beaten, he laid on the floor unconscious. Ander was still heaving from the fight, Nomen Karr wasn't a particularly hard foe, but he fought with such ferocity that it made it hard for Ander to predict his attacks. And yet, after a two hour long battle, Nomen Karr had only managed to hit him twice. Once with the Force, to throw him back, and once with his saber. It cut straight through his armor, despite it being designed to absorb energy lasers and nullify plasma, leaving a nasty gash on his hip.

As soon as Nomen Karr was restrained, Quinn rushed to Ander's side and administered as much kolto as he had, until back up came to their aid. Thanks to his attunement to the Force, Ander was able to resist and push the pain away but he still wasn't going to move until he had been fully healed by the medics. Forty-five minutes of kolto injections, hyper-skin and muscle regeneration (thanks to the Force), and enough bandaging to wrap up an entire person from head to toe, and Ander was back to his normal self. There was an extensive amount of blood on his armor and on Quinn's uniform, which he would have to apologize for later, but all in all, little damage was done. Soon afterward, though, Nomen Karr had begun to wake from his slumber...

Nomen Karr hazily opened his eyes, his vision was blurry and he wasn't quite sure what was going on until a sharp shooting pain ran through his entire body when he tried to move his head. Not only, that, but he couldn't move, not even a little bit. "Ah!! What's-" Nomen Karr's voice was incredibly shaky and his speech was so erratic from the pain that 90% of his thoughts didn't make it out of his mouth.

"Quinn, you'd better give him another dose of painkillers," Ander said. Quinn complied, to his disappointment. If he was to choose, he would let the Jedi feel as much pain as possible, especially after all the shit he had put his lord through, and he wasn't talking about Baras. Despite not officially announcing it, Quinn saw himself to have completely transferred into Ander's care; at least, that's what he told himself. Despite what he truly wanted to do to this Jedi... He acted out his lord's wishes without hesitation or question, he knew by now that Ander was not a cruel Sith and was not going to force someone to be in a terrible situation in pain. He was, of course, better than that. The pain killers took about fifteen seconds to kick in, but once they did, Nomen Karr felt the pain wash away. Once his head was clear, his blue eyes immediately shot to red once he realized that he was not only restrained against a chair but also that he was in Imp custody. Nomen Karr shot his gaze to the young Sith at his side but immediately regretted it. Despite the large dose of painkillers in his blood system, it felt as though a jagged knife had plunged into his neck and was going to cut his head off. "Stop! Don't move your neck like that! It's broken, and we don't have a fucking neck brace to keep you still..." Ander yelled at the wounded Jedi, before looking to Quinn for some sort of help. Quinn just shook his head, knowing any normal person would have been at the very least paralyzed by now.

Ander sighed before bending down to come into eye level with rabid Jedi. His eyes were still glowing red and the skin around his eyes had begun to turn black with rot. Quinn covered his mouth with his hand and looked away. Red eyes triggered his PTSD so severely that it made him fall to his knees in a terrified shock. Thankfully, all he could see from his position was the black creeping up to the man's temple. Still, it was enough to make his stomach turn. Ander immediately sensed his companion unease and called to him. "Quinn, if it's too much for you, you can turn away. I would ask you to return to the ship but I'm worried you might run into trouble along the way..." Ander said. "I am... alright my lord... I will simply remain behind him." Quinn said, quickly moving behind the Jedi.

Ander gave him a validating nod and returned his attention to the man in front of him. "Look, I don't want to do this either, but this is only going to end badly if you don't cooperate. Just give us the password to your holoterminal so we can call your padawan." Ander said, trying his hardest not to sound too aggressive. Nomen Karr let out a low growl before lunging for Ander. "Never! I will never forsake her!" He spat and made an attempt to bite at his captor but he didn't even move a couple of millimeters forward. Quinn made sure of that. Ander wiped the spit off his face and looked off to the side, before standing up and walking behind him. Quinn handed him a rag but soon realized that it, like every other fabric in the building, was soaked through with blood and slowly chucked it away. "I'm sorry, my lord, but it seems I don't have a clean handkerchief to offer you..." Quinn sighed. Ander shook his head. "It's alright, Quinn. I appreciate the thought though." Ander smiled for a moment before a frown returned to his face. "If he won't give us the means to call her, we may have to track her down ourselves-"

"That won't be necessary Sith!" Ander and Quinn both looked up towards the door, as a young padawan made her way inside. Karr instantly knew, he didn't need to see or hear, he felt her presence from a mile away. The once animalistic Jedi had gone silent and still, afraid to show this side of himself to his dear padawan - but it was far too late. Jaesa set her gaze upon her master and saw a broken and bloody man bound against his will. She looked up and examined his captors who also wore a suit of blood and violence, her eyes gave her all the proof she needed. Imperials and Sith were nothing more than savages, always looking to prey on the weak. Ander stepped in front of Nomen Karr. "Now before you say anything, I tried to go the peaceful route-"

"Peaceful?! You call this the _peaceful route_? You're covered in blood! You beat my master until he couldn't fight back and then you restrained him! Why? Was it to torture him?! Haven't you done enough?!" Jaese's voice was filled with pain and anger. She wanted to cry but she was too angry. Ander raised his hands, hoping to show that it wasn't true, he wasn't what she thought. "Please, just give me a chance to explain-"

"Your _master_ slashed his way through plasma nullifying armor and severely injured my lord!" Quinn was _not_ just going to sit by and let this child accuse his lord of such cruelty. "My lord fought with him for two hours trying his hardest not to kill him. Your _master_ used every dirty trick in the book to get the upper hand and yet my lord persisted in keeping him alive. Despite the forty-five grueling minutes he spent in pain, enduring the wound _your_ master gave him. Even now, your master has enough painkillers in him to kill any normal human just so he wouldn't be in pain, even though my lord had to suffer without any the entire time I was tending to him. Your master deserves the small amount of pain he received during that fight... and for the record, this is my lord's blood." Quinn said and Jaesa was taken aback by not only his words and anger but the sheer amount of other emotions that crashed into her from him.

Her extra sensitivity to the Force was doing her master no favors and she could feel how much Quinn cared for the Sith standing next to him, if only for a moment. Soon enough, however, the feeling was gone, and Quinn returned to his original position all while quietly apologizing to Ander. Ander continued to tell him it was all right and for a moment, Jaesa was almost compelled to use her special power on her master instead of the Sith. The way he interacted with his companion looked so genuine and honest...

"Jaesa, don't be fooled. Sith can't be trusted." Karr said and Jaesa immediately snapped out of her thoughts. Ander returned his attention to Jaesa, who locked eyes with him. "I heard you have the power to see a person's true intentions... If that's true, then maybe you should use it to help you see the truth." Ander said, his tone much softer than previously.

Jaesa thought that would have been a good idea as soon as she saw Karr's eye color but hesitated because her anger clouded her judgment. Perhaps she was not so different from her master in that regard... She closed her eyes and began to meditate on the Force. Unlike so many other Force users, she saw the Force like weightless water floating around her, while also mixing with a gust of wind that could move mountains as well as carry leaves gently to the ground. It was hard to explain it to others but she found it beautifully inspiring.

Just like so many times before, she focused on her master and saw... a great dark shadow with a silhouette that of a monster. It looked to almost be consuming him... no, wait, it was becoming one with him. Was the light she had seen in him a facade? Was it just another lie he, like so many others, had told her to control her? Why didn't she see this shadow before, or did her feelings hide it from her, just like the truth she was now seeking? Jaesa was so disturbed by what the Force was showing her, she physically turned away. Her gaze now landed on Ander and partially Quinn. The Force blinded her with a gentle light. This was the Sith, no doubt, but interestingly enough, even though Quinn was not a Force user, it painted him in a gentle, although still spotted with some darkness as well, light. Even more interesting still, their light seemed to gravitate to one another, yet never touch but only circle around one another. This greatly confused Jaesa but she found the answers she was looking for. Her master had lied to her, had lied to the Force, to everyone. Jaesa opened her eyes and softened her face.

"I see. You were telling the truth. I'm sorry for my outburst earlier..." Jaesa lowered her voice as well as her head, bowing to Ander and Quinn. Ander sighed in relief. "It's alright, you were just angry and you aren't really you when you're angry. Right, Quinn?" Ander looked back to the officer who nodded back in embarrassment. Jaesa looked past Ander to see Nomen Karr scowling at the ground. "What will you do with him?" She asked. Ander crossed his arms behind his head while glancing back at Karr. "Hmm? I was planning on having him dropped off at a Republic base with a note attached that read: 'Please return to the Jedi Council; in serious need of therapy and medical attention.' What do you think? Good plan?" Ander asked. Jaesa didn't answer for a moment, though she wasn't angry at the proposition. Instead, she burst out into a fit of giggles. Ander, surprised by the sudden laughter, stepped back a little bit before smiling at her. Jaesa finally calmed herself before giving her reply.

"I think that's a wonderful idea but..." Jaesa trailed off. "What will happen to me?" She asked. Ander frowned. His master wants her dead, he knew that but he was not going to kill her, there was just no way in hell. So, Ander reached out his hand to her. "Come with me." Jaesa looked at his hand, completely baffled. "Join my crew and become my apprentice. That way my master will have no choice but to accept you alive. He wants you dead but there is no way in hell I'm gonna let him have that, so this is the best option. Also, you seem pretty cool and it would be awesome if you became my friend. What do ya say?" Ander asked, his hand still outreached towards her. There was a slight pause but Jaesa stopped letting her fear dictate her choices and took Ander's hand, giving it a firm shake. "Ok, but I still don't know your name 'master'." Jaesa jokingly said. "It's Ander. Nice to meet you, my 'apprentice'." Ander said, in the same joking manner. Ander turned to Quinn and once again signaled him to follow, which he gladly did. “Oh, Jaesa, this is Captain Quinn. He’s my second in command when I’m unavailable for whatever reason, so if you need anything you can ask him.” Ander said. Quinn bowed his head to her and smiled. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Willsaam, I look forward to working with you,” Quinn said. Jaesa returned his bow and smiled. Ander leaned into Quinn. “Also make sure Nomen Karr gets dropped off, please don’t leave him in that place to starve…” Quinn made a quiet groan but smiled nonetheless. “Of course, my lord.” Another request he is sure to fill despite not really wanting to.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, yes, Ander suffers from depression. I mean lets be honest for a second. I made him, he is bound to be super depressed since I forced him to fall in love with a straight dude. Sorry buddy, but this fic will change that! No more lonely Ander/all other male sith warriors that are still hoping for a gay Malavai. Here ya go! A sometimes true to story Malavai to love. Enjoy! <3


	5. I Don't Need You

Ander was not looking forward to his time on the ruined world of Taris. Perhaps it was because he was already in a foul mood from learning that his “break” was nothing more than a lazy afternoon. Geeze, for gaining the title of Sith Lord, the reward was pretty crummy. Though that wasn’t what really bothered him, not truly. Ander had just gained an apprentice in Jaesa and he had hoped he would get more time to spend with her and teach her, but all he was able to do was spruce up her living quarters on the ship. Thank the Emperor, he was able to do that much.

Quinn was used to Ander always requesting his presence on missions. It had become the norm for them and the rest of the crew. It wasn’t like Vette minded, she actually preferred to stay on the ship and do her own thing. Only now, she had someone else to entertain as well. Quinn hardly mined either. He had become accustomed to working and fighting alongside his lord and genuinely enjoyed his company. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t feel honored that Ander relied on him so heavily. Though a part of him was worried if he was getting too attached to his lord and if the circumstance were to ever arise where Quinn wasn’t there, would his lord be ok? Perhaps he was just worrying too much, after all, Ander was a Sith Lord now. He had proven himself to Darth Baras that he is capable of such things. Quinn shook himself out of his thoughts, as the shuttle began its landing procedures. There was no reason for Quinn to worry, his lord would overcome any and every obstacle to come his way.

The duo got off the shuttle and made their way inside the command center. Their contact was Moff Hurdenn, who, for some reason, gave Ander a sickly feeling as he continued to talk. Next to the old officer was another Imperial officer, who was much younger, taller, and far more fit than the former. The Moff quickly introduced him as Lieutenant Pierce. Ander didn’t have any opinion on the man, though the way the Moff talked about him, made Ander even more uneasy. It sounded as though the Moff was trying to get rid of Pierce by shoving him onto Ander. He wouldn’t mind it so much if it didn’t sound like Pierce was more of an annoyance than anything. Still, Ander wanted to give Pierce a chance and giving up on the guy so early would be doing him a disservice. Or so he thought… Just then, Quinn had spoken up and corrected Pierce as well as offer his own suggestion on how the mission should be handled. Pierce rolled his eyes and had a scowl on his face in response. _His chances are up._ Ander thought. How could this bastard roll his eyes at the best soldier in the Imperial Army? Perhaps Ander was just biased but still. Quinn was a rank above Pierce. He had no right to roll his eyes at him. “My lord? How would you like to proceed?” Quinn asked, polite as ever. Ander immediately turned his attention to Quinn. “We will go with your plan, Quinn. I trust your judgment and you have never failed me. We do it your way.” Ander said. Quinn bowed and returned his attention to the other officers. Ander was still fuming however and no matter how much he wanted to say something to Pierce, he just couldn’t.

 

As soon as they were free to leave, Ander walked out of the room with Quinn behind him. He didn’t say anything until he was beside his speeder and immediately turned to face Quinn. “Who the fuck does Pierce think he is? I swear to the fucking Emperor if I ever have to work with that son of a bitch I will rip his fucking eyes out!” Ander said, before pacing in front of his speeder. “My lord? This isn’t like you to be so distraught. Is there a reason you hold so much anger to the Lieutenant?” Quinn asked, fearful for the Lieutenant’s safety should he let his lord’s anger continue to boil. “Don’t tell me you didn’t see what he did?” Ander asked. Quinn shook his head. Ander huffed, trying to calm himself, though it didn’t help much. “When you spoke up to correct him, he _rolled his eyes_. As though you were nothing more than an annoyance!” Ander had to quiet himself so to not cause a scene but he was really pissed off about this. Quinn was utterly baffled. Sure, he knew his lord cared about how he was treated by himself and the crew, but he couldn’t believe that it would extend to outside the crew. Quinn was not blind, he noticed Pierce’s disrespectful actions but he wasn’t the least surprised by it. A lot of the people Quinn had worked with found him to be too strict or too quick to punish others. He had gotten a lot of feedback to relax and not take every little thing seriously, but he just couldn’t do that. Something in his gut told him he had to be perfect. If something were to go wrong, his head could be on the chopping block. Quinn had to take every little detail into account when forming a strategy, his life depended on it. “I know.” Ander looked back at Quinn. He didn’t expect that kind of response from him. “I saw it,” Quinn said, a sadder undertone in his voice. “Though I believe it was warranted. I can be a little harsh sometimes.” Quinn tried his best to make it seem like he was fine with it, but he should have known better. Ander saw straight through his words. “That’s a load of bullshit and you know it. Quinn, if you want to ignore him, go ahead, but if he disrespects you one more time…” Ander trailed off and got on his speeder. He sighed, choosing to let it go for now. “Well… anyway, we have things to do, hop on.” Ander said, signaling for Quinn to take the seat behind him. Quinn complied but was still curious about their conversation earlier. Perhaps it was best to leave it alone for a bit and return to it at a later date.

 

_As Ander had expected, Lieutenant Pierce was pushed onto Ander’s crew and he was not pleased about it. Pierce had pulled Ander to the side and asked why Quinn was so uptight. Though Ander was quick to point out that Quinn was his second in command and should Pierce bad mouth him again, he would rip out his tongue. From then on, Pierce kept his distance from both Ander and Quinn, but it wasn’t long before Quinn took notice of Pierce’s behavior._

 

Quinn knocked on the door to Ander’s private quarters. “My lord? Do you have a moment to speak with me?” Quinn asked, expecting a verbal response but instead, the door just opened and Quinn stepped inside. Ander was at his desk, staring at the screen in front of him, though it didn’t look like he was doing anything. Quinn took a step towards him. “My lord…” Quinn paused for a moment, choosing his words wisely. “Is everything alright? Ever since Lieutenant Pierce joined us, you haven’t been socializing with the crew as much. If there is something that is bothering you perhaps I could help.” Quinn’s words were soft and quiet, though it was obvious that Ander had begun to worry him. Ander relaxed his shoulders and turned to his Captain. He face looked exhausted and he didn’t feel much better. “I’m sorry to have worried you, Quinn. I didn’t mean to make it seem like I was avoiding you or the rest of the crew, it’s just…” Ander trailed off, just the thought of it made him angry. “I don’t like Pierce.” The words surprised Quinn. Before his lord had never made a point to dislike anyone. He was always so kind and respectful to everyone that Quinn had never considered that he had the ability to dislike anyone. Could being in close proximity to someone he dislikes, cause him to become this agitated? So much so that he isolates himself from everyone? “I’m sorry to hear that, my lord. Though I have to urge you to keep the Lieutenant. He is an invaluable soldier and is without a doubt a great addition to your power base.”

“He isn’t willing to listen to you, Quinn. Even after I told him that you are my captain, you are the one everyone has to go through. You give out my orders and you keep everyone in line. And he isn’t willing to even acknowledge you? I’m sorry, Quinn but he has no place on my crew.” Ander tried not to raise his voice, but he was just so _angry_. Quinn did his best to keep calm. “My lord, please. I know Pierce has his issues with the chain of command but he will do what needs to be done when the time comes. Please reconsider.” Quinn said. Ander went silent, for just a moment. “Would you recommend him?” Ander asked. “I would, my lord.” Quinn nodded and Ander sighed, relaxing back into his chair. “Ok, he can stay, but don’t let him get away with disrespecting you. I won’t stand for it.” Ander said. Quinn nodded and saluted, before leaving the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys didn't think the title was talking about Malavai. Though I will say that the title is literally what I said out loud when the game first told me that Pierce was joining my crew. "Hmmmm... No... I don't need you... Can I decline him? I don't want him."
> 
> I couldn't decline him. >.>
> 
> On another note, I will be skipping the rest of the second act because it wasn't my favorite to play and it certainly won't add much to the story. Next time you see Ander, will be on Quesh and let me warn you right now, the story will be changed drastically to fill the plot holes left behind in KotFE and KotET.


	6. Whispers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A seemingly ordinary planet and a seemingly ordinary mission - what could possibly go wrong?

_Quesh… Such an unpleasant planet that you even have to take a shot just to go to the damned thing._ Ander thought as he stepped off of the shuttle, Quinn was not too far behind him. Ander looked ahead and saw that the shuttle platform was so high on the cliff, that the only reasonable way down was by an extremely long elevator. _Ugh._ Ander hated elevators. Whether it was because they were slower than walking up a staircase or because the Empire loved them. Perhaps it was because they were often seen as an unnecessary death trap, having claimed hundreds every year because someone forgot to check if the elevator was even there. Regardless, as long as he had Quinn to check for him, Ander was sure to be alright- _He has set you up._ Ander immediately looked around him. His eyes searching for the owner of the voice he had just heard. Quinn, who had been waiting for the elevator, looked back to see his lord looking around and called out to him. “My lord, the lift is almost here.” Ander nodded slowly, still wondering where that voice came from and reunited with Quinn.

 

The duo walked onto the elevator pad and stayed there in dead silence. _It was a Force Whisper._ Ander knew that for sure. Those who were sensitive to the Force were capable of superhuman and even supernatural feats. A Force Whisper was once such feat; where one would reach out to another with the Force and transmit their thoughts. Though, something bothered Ander. Normally, even the most powerful Sith could only reach out about five hundred yards, but while looking Ander tried to reply to the voice. He heard nothing in return. Either the person was very powerful or Ander just wasn’t very good at this. Both were very plausible but Ander had a strange feeling that it was the former. Finally, about halfway down, Quinn spoke up. “My lord, is everything all right?” He asked, turning to Ander. “Yeah, just have a bad feeling about this one.” Ander glanced down at Quinn. “When we get to the cave, I want you to hang back and guard the entrance. I have a feeling that this one won’t be so straightforward.” Ander said. “Of course, my lord.”

 

They finally made it to the cave that Baras specified and, as he was told, Quinn stayed by the entrance to ensure no Republic forces would ambush his lord. Ander took his time traversing the dark mining cave. His mission was to take out the lead Engineer of the Republic so that the Empire could take this mining strip for themselves. But… the cave was empty. It was devoid of miners, guards, or even droids. All that was left were mining drills and excavators. Ander reached the end of the cave and noticed the furthest wall was wired with explosives. Just then, Ander received a call on his personal holoterminal. He answered it and the visage of a man, who he had not previously met before, appeared before him. “Who are you?” Ander asked. The man chuckled before giving his reply. “Your replacement.” The man said, before pulling out a switch and using it.

 

In front of him, the explosives lit up and exploded, throwing Ander back and causing the entire cave to become unstable. Ander was blown back so hard that when he landed, his head hit the ground and was knocked unconscious. Luckily, he landed underneath the arm of one of the Republic excavators and was shielded from much of the cave ceiling that was now crumbling down around him.

 

Outside, Quinn felt the ground vibrate with the explosion and considered for a moment to go in after his lord, but the cave entrance soon began to shake loose boulders in front of him. Unfortunately, Quinn had no choice but to wait outside, for fear of being crushed. However, Quinn was far from useless and made some calls to the nearby Imperial Outpost for a medical evac. Until then, Quinn was going to pray to the Emperor that Ander was still alive.

 

 _Wake up, you fool._ Ander blinked himself awake to a pounding head and blood clouding his vision. Ander wiped away the blood and looked around. Darkness surrounded him and every time he tried to stretch out his arms he would touch a cold stone wall. Ander drew his saber and used it as a torch. Looking around, he was surrounded by a lot of stone and tilting his head upwards awarded him with the sight of the excavator bucket that saved his life. Ander thanked the inanimate object and weighed his options. That is, until a familiar voice entered his mind once more. _Get out of this cave and perhaps then, we can have an actual conversation._ “What-” Ander tried to ask them who they were but he knew that talking out loud… to yourself, was not going to help right now. He needed to get out of the godforsaken cave, one way or another.

 

Quinn flagged down the EMT truck, never leaving the cave’s entrance - or what was left of it. By now, there wasn’t much of a cave left. It had completely collapsed in on itself. One EMT got out of the truck and walked up to Quinn. “Sir, we got your distress call. Where is the patient?” Quinn pointed to the giant wall of boulders and rocks behind him. “What? They are in there? Are you sure they aren’t…”

“They are not. They are a Sith Lord. Show some respect.” Quinn almost hissed. The man apologized and told Quinn that he would just wait in the truck until the excavation crew came. Quinn could tell the EMT didn’t believe his lord was alive. No normal person could survive something like that, but somehow, he just knew Ander was alive.

 

Suddenly, the scraping of rock and earth made Quinn immediately turn around. A boulder shot out, barely missing both Quinn and the EMT truck. And there he was. Ander was clutching his side and slightly limping as he exited the cave. Quinn rushed to his side and threw his arm over his head, allowing Ander to use him as support. The EMTs got out of their truck and rushed over to help. Ander was then rushed back to the Imperial Outpost for medical attention. Quinn never left his side, greatly reducing Ander’s stress and panic, for some reason or another. Due to safety reasons, Ander was placed under anesthesia…

 

Ander opened his eyes, but this time he wasn’t in the cave and instead in a white room… or area, he wasn’t quite sure what to call it, since it didn’t have walls but perhaps it didn’t matter. Ander looked around and when he looked back, someone was standing in front of him. His eyes were yellow, his beard and hair was white, and he was clad in gold-laced robes. Not only that, but Ander felt it. He was extremely powerful in the Force. So powerful, that Ander was sure he could kill him just by breathing in his presence. Ander kneeled before the mysterious man, whether it was out of respect or fear, not even he knew. “Finally, we can speak face to face.” The man said as he walked towards Ander. Using his hand, he tilted Ander’s chin up. “Look at me, child. For I am your Emperor.” Ander looked at the Emperor and he wasn’t any less afraid now than he was when he first felt him. The Emperor smiled. “It is wise of you to be cautious in the face of danger, though I am not here to hurt you. Quite the opposite really. I have chosen you to be my Wrath, my personal assassin of sorts.” That last line washed all of Ander’s fear away and replaced it with… laughter? Ander burst out into an absolute fit and for a moment the Emperor had a worried expression on his face. _Is this kid for real?_ He thought to himself. “I’m sorry-” Ander gasped for air. “I thought you said assassin. You do know what I do to people right?” He asked, ready to start laughing at any moment. The Emperor knew a lot about Ander but decided to humor him and shake his head. “I befriend them. I mean, yes, I can kill people but most of the time I run at them and ask them to be my friend. You wouldn’t actually believe how many times that has worked, I mean-”

“Yes, yes. I am fully aware of your plan to take over the universe. I have been watching you since you left Korriban.” The Emperor said, dismissing Ander with one hand. “Still, ever since then, I have felt an enormous power growing within you and it has piqued my interest. From now on, you will be known as the Emperor’s Wrath. Your job is to destroy those who pose a threat to my Empire and the future I have planned for it.” The Emperor paused, signaling Ander to stand, which he did. “Whether you decide to kill them or not is up to you, but first you have a Darth to eliminate. Am I understood?” Ander looked at the Emperor, his yellow eyes seemed to pierce through his soul. “Yes, my lord.”

 

\--------------------------------------------------

 

A rhythmic beep rang in Ander’s ears. It sounded like a heartbeat and lined up with his own. _Ah, right._ The last thing Ander remembered, was Quinn telling him he was going to be okay. Quinn must have taken care of him after the cave in. Ander slowly opened his eyes and looked at his surroundings. Just turning his head, offered him some answers. He was in the med bay of his ship. Strange, Ander thought he would have at least still been planetside, though he wasn’t exactly complaining. That planet smelled worse than Nar Shaddaa. Ander slowly sat up, realizing that he wasn’t as sore as he had previously been, and saw Quinn hunched over a monitor that, Ander assumed, had his vitals displayed. From the back, Ander saw that Quinn’s hair was a little disheveled than usual and his jacket was covered in dirt. _Aww, he was worried about me._ The thought made his stomach float and his heart skip a beat, which was reflected on the monitor. Quinn never missed a beat and, after noticing the change in vitals, turned around. His lord was sitting up and seemingly staring at him. Quinn cursed beneath his breath that his lord had to see him in such a state but was also very concerned for his lord. “My lord? How are you awake? The anesthesia shouldn’t have worn off yet- ah, forgive me. How are you feeling?” Quinn asked. Ander smiled. “Good. A lot better than earlier, that’s for sure.” He said, still smiling. Quinn breathed a breath of relief. At least his lord wasn’t in pain, any more. “Oh, my lord. Someone called the ship while you were asleep. Vette managed to put them on hold; would you like to resume the call?” Quinn asked. Ander’s smiled immediately faded from his face and he nodded, getting up from the med bed.

 

Ander, along with the rest of his crew, resumed the call. The image of two Sith Purebloods appeared before them. “Wrath. We are the Emperor’s Hand. We are just two of many servants that act out the Emperor’s will across the Empire and the galaxy. You may refer to us as One and-” One pointed to the Sith next to him. “Two. We were sent by the Emperor himself, to assist you in taking down Baras. Do you have any questions?” Ander nodded. “Just one. Do you have any information on the supposed “replacement” that Baras had for me? Because that asshole just blew me up without giving me his name.” The crew recoiled in disappointment and amusement, wondering why of all things Ander wanted to know that. Though considering what type of person he was, it made some sense. One was taken aback by Ander’s question, as is the common reaction to many of the things Ander says, but disappeared off screen for a bit before returning with a datapad. After a moment of scrolling, One spoke. “Lord Draagh is his name and title. He was acquired by Baras as an apprentice after he killed Baras’ master on the Dark Council. Which happened 2 months ago. He has some cybernetic enhancements, but is otherwise a rather average Sith.” One finished. _Oh my god. Did the Emperor’s Hand just roast this poor guy? I am going to make this guy my friend… one day._ One raised his brow at the ever silent Ander, who shook out of his thoughts. “Right, thanks for the info. So, how do we proceed?” Ander asked. “We will begin investigating on what allies Baras has in waiting and how to get you into a Dark Council meeting without any trouble. Now that Baras has taken his master’s place on the Dark Council, he is likely to remain close to them and rarely leave Korriban.” One said. Ander knew that Baras was a coward, but being surrounded by Dark Honor Guards was a pretty smart way to stay alive. There was no way Ander would be able to fight his way through fifty guards. Ander shuddered at the thought of making even one guard angry. “For now, Wrath, stay hidden. Should Baras catch wind of your survival, he will no doubt send people after you. We will contact you when we find something.” And with that, the call ended. Ander looked to his people, every one of them was surprised by what just transpired. He had a lot of explaining to do, that was for sure...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said there would be story changes, but here is some clarification as to why. If you haven't played through all of swtor, there will be spoilers ahead.  
> \-------------------------------------  
> Firstly, when Arcann said that his father was PHYSICALLY there but not mentally, like he was distracted, it fucked me up. How can he possess a physical body and still have a spirit floating in a Voss and be killed by not only his own Wrath but also by a group of Jedi. Did he split his soul into 3 parts? If so, man, that shit hurts and there would be no way he could possess three bodies and also be locked away in a pyramid on Yavin 4. I'm sorry but all of Shadow of Revan needs to be thrown out, as well as most of the third act of the Swarrior campaign.
> 
> Basically, I am fixing plot holes.


	7. Belsavis

Ander and company drifted through the vastness of space, in a mostly remote asteroid field, as they tried their best to hide from Imperial convoys and battlecruisers, never quite sure if any of them will be under Baras’ thumb. It was both nerve-wracking and extremely annoying to sit and wait like they were, but the Hand made a point to tell them to lie low. If word was brought to Baras of Ander, there would be no way for them to even get close to him. And so… Ander waited. Waited for the Hand to contact him with more information, though he was starting to lose hope they ever would. It had been a week since the events of Quesh and Ander was starting to get impatient.

 

Just then, a call started to come through and everyone jumped up and gathered around the holoterminal. One, the member of the Hand they spoke to on Quesh, appeared before them. He ignored the rest of the crew and immediately looked to Ander. “Wrath. We have dug up some information that will help us get you into the Dark Council chambers on Korriban, but first, you have to ensure that Baras won’t be receiving any reinforcements. In particular, I am referring to his fanatic sister, who was captured and locked away by the Republic on a prison planet by the name of Belsavis.”

“Belsavis? I’ve never heard of that planet before…” Ander said, wondering if he missed something that One said. “Belsavis was a highly guarded secret of the Republic, until recently, that is. The Empire has finally made landfall on the planet’s surface with the intention of breaking out many of the ruthless prisoners in an effort to distract the Republic from other battles. You will use this to your advantage and join the Empire in its efforts, if only as a red herring of your true intentions. In order to find Baras’ sister, Darth Ekkage, you must make your way to the High-Security Compound Archives. Make haste, Wrath, for I suspect Baras will send someone to retrieve her soon.” The call ended and Ander signaled for the rest of the crew to fly the ship to Belsavis, while he pulled Quinn aside.

 

“My lord?” Quinn asked as he walked with Ander into the hallway. “I know that you are expecting to come with me, cause I always take you with me on missions, but…” Ander paused, this was hard for him, even though he knew it was better this way… for Quinn’s sake. “I think I should bring Jaesa instead. One said that the planet will be crawling with Imperials, both soldiers and prisoners. I bet you, a lot of them will be Sith too - Dark Side Sith. Look, I know you have a problem with Dark Side traits. I don’t want to put you through that if I can help it. So, I’m asking you to stay behind this ti-”

“No, my lord, please. I promise it won’t be a problem. I-” Quinn stopped himself. He couldn’t believe the outburst he just had in front of his lord and even though it was for his own good; but… There was a voice in the pit of his gut telling him that he had to accompany Ander and if he didn’t- well he wasn’t sure, not really.

 

Ander looked at Quinn with a worried expression. “Are you sure you will be ok?” Ander asked. “Yes, my lord. It won’t be an issue.” Quinn said, a kind of confidence burning in his eyes. Though Ander still wasn’t quite sure of bringing him along but perhaps he was just getting overprotective. “Okay, get ready for departure, we should be there soon.”

 

Ander and Quinn arrived at the Imperial Outpost and looked out beyond the outer walls. There was so much chaos, fire, and smoke out there, that maybe Quinn was right when he said it was going to alright, but still, Ander was worried. He turned to Quinn, who was double checking his equipment. “Hey,” Quinn looked up at his lord. “Are you sure you will be okay?” Ander asked. Quinn darted his eyes away for a moment, but only for a moment. “Yes, my lord. I will be performing at peak efficiency as always. I assure you.” Quinn said. Ander sighed; _damn_ , winning an argument against Quinn was not an easy thing to do, especially if it was about him. “Okay, okay, but will you at least tell me why you were so determined to have me bring you along, that you cut me off earlier?” Ander didn’t want to make it sound like he was angry, because he wasn’t, but it _totally_ came out that way. Quinn blushed slightly and immediately became flustered. “I apologize, my lord. I didn’t mean any offense. I just- Permission to speak freely my lord!” Ander was confused, nowadays Quinn never asked for permission but as Ander looked around the base - he saw several pairs of eyes glancing curiously at them. Even though he didn’t mind what Quinn said to him, it wasn’t like that everywhere else. Ander signaled for Quinn to continue and Quinn recomposed himself. Though, honestly, he couldn’t think of anything. Normally, there was a reason for everything, for every action, there was a reaction, but… not this time. “Ah, well… No reason in particular. I just… wanted to accompany you.” Quinn said, his voice becoming smaller… Ander looked curiously at Quinn for a moment. _Okay, that was not what I was expecting… Who are you and what have you done with Quinn?_ Ander chuckled at his own thought and smiled. “Alright, then. Let’s go.” Quinn was surprised, yet very pleased, to hear the joy in Ander’s voice and followed him out of the base.

 

As expected, the archives were heavily guarded, even with all the prison breaks going on around the planet’s surface. Ander and Quinn had no problem dispatching the guards, though. They worked quickly and gracefully. This worked in their favor, as the security alarms weren’t raised during their attack and they managed to avoid damaging any of the computers. Quinn grabbed the Security Chief’s keycard and logged into one of the nearby computers. He searched for Darth Ekkage through every form of entry he could think of… nothing came up. Quinn sighed, as he stared at the blank screen. Ander looked at the screen then down at Quinn. “Perhaps we got the wrong building? This can’t be the only-”

 

Just then, a loud banging could be heard from a locked door. “Hello?” A muffled voice yelled from beyond. Ander drew his sabers and approached the door. Quinn drew his blaster, but Ander signaled for him to stay where he was. “Excuse me Sith, but I mean you no harm. I only wish to talk.” The voice calmly said. “How did you know I was Sith?” Ander asked. “Ah, well, you see. This archive’s security computers are in this room, along with the information you no doubt seek- but if you help me out, I will share this information with you.” The voice assured him and Ander sheathed his sabers. “Okay, but I don’t even know your name. How can I trust a nameless fellow?” Ander asked. “Timmns. My name is Timmns, and you, my odd Sith?” Timmns asked. “Ander and the officer with me is named Quinn. We are looking for a Sith by the name of Darth Ekkage. We want to make sure she never leaves this planet.” Ander said. “Well, Ander, I believe we share the same goal then, but perhaps you could help me open this door first? I believe it is stuck…” Ander looked to Quinn, a wicked grin on his face. Quinn rolled his eyes, though he wasn’t opposed to the idea. “On one condition:” Ander paused, building the suspension. “You agree to be my friend.” There was a long pause of silence and a brief period of chuckling could be heard, soon after. “Okay, Sith. I agree to your terms.” With that, Ander used the Force to help Timmns force the door open. Inside, Ander finds the computers to be completely trashed and looks to Timmns for an explanation. “To be honest, I thought you would be harder to convince. Sorry about this, but I assure you, I saved Darth Ekkage’s cell location to my personal holopad. If you want, we could travel together. It would make things a lot easier for both of us.” Timmns suggested. Ander looked back to Quinn, with bright hopeful eyes. Quinn sighed and nodded. “We would love that!” Ander said. The three of them left the archives and towards the marker on Timmns holopad.

 

\------------------

 

Timmns and Quinn waited out of sight of an Imperial base, while Ander stocked up on supplies. Ander asked that Quinn wait with Timmns, just to be sure and hopefully become comfortable around him. It was completely obvious after Timmns joined them that, Quinn was not into the idea of a Jedi Master casually walking around with a Sith Lord and Imperial Captain. It was so obvious… it was clearly displayed on his face, but that didn’t bother Timmns and he had just the thing to clear the tension. “So, Quinn, right?” Quinn turned to the Jedi, his amusement nowhere to be seen. “What’s your honest opinion of Ander?” He asked. Quinn immediately relaxed when he heard his lord’s name. “Well, for starters, he is… the best Sith ever. He is kind, strong, and always willing to make a new friend. Why-” Quinn went on for a solid twenty minutes talking about his lord, but soon he and Timmns started to trade stories and even _laugh._ It had been a long time since Quinn was able to enjoy a conversation with anyone other than his lord.

Ander finally made his way back to his traveling companions when he sees Quinn and Timmns actually conversing in a pleasant manner. Ander can’t stop himself but he hugs Quinn, letting him know how proud of him he is. Quinn quickly made a point to dismiss his lord’s praises, explaining that he was perfectly capable of being civil with an ally, even a temporary one. Ander laughed, patting Quinn on the back before releasing him. Though, he wasn’t easily fooled. He knew that his kindness towards Timmns had won both himself and Quinn a new friend, and he was going to cherish this moment. Ander then said that he was ready and the trio moved out.

 

\------------------

 

The journey to Ekkage’s cell was a pleasant one, for the most part. They avoided Republic and Imperial bases, in fear that either would confront them, and unnecessary fights with the wildlife. ...But Timmns was filled with curiosity of his Sith companion. He was a Light Side, there was no doubt about that, but how? He couldn’t hold it in any longer, he just had to know. “Hey, Sith,” Ander stopped walking and turned his attention to the Jedi. “you’re Light Side, right?” Ander nodded and Timmns continued. “But how? I thought the Sith Code was straight forward in its theologies and ideals.” Timmns asked and suddenly Quinn was overtaken by a strong curiosity, as well. He never gave much thought as to why or how his lord was the way he was… He just  _was_. Ander smiled softly and spoke just as so. “Well, I guess for most people, that’s true, but I don’t see it the way they do. For me, the Sith Code talks about feeling better about yourself and how you let the world affect you.” Timmns tilted his head, confusion written on his face. Ander chuckled, realizing his words made little sense. “Let me explain. The Sith Code is: Peace is a lie. There is no Peace, there is only Passion. Through Passion, I gain Strength. Through Strength, I gain Power. Through Power, Victory. Through Victory, my chains are broken, the Force will set me free.” Timmns nodded, he had heard this many times before from other Sith. “Well, it is true about peace. Peace is an unattainable goal. The universe was created by chaos; life thrives off of it. We created the word peace to describe a period of time where there was no war or famine or anything that would cause someone grief. Peace… can only last so long. So…? When you can’t rely on the idea of peace, what do you have? Your passion, what keeps you going. Something or someone you want to live for. Through passion, I gain strength. Maybe I don’t need that motivation anymore. Maybe I can just live for me, and be happy with what I have.” Both Timmns and Quinn were listening with awe and wonder as Ander spoke. “Through strength, I gain power… But, let’s say someone wants to push me down, wants me to give up. I won’t, because I have someone and something to fight for, along with my own happiness. Through power; victory, my chains are broken, the Force shall set me free.” Ander pauses, laughing to himself. “Honestly, I haven’t gotten there yet, but I’ll let you know my view on that when I get there.” Ander smiled.

 

\------------------

 

The group made their way into the depths that was Darth Ekkage’s cell and noticed that someone had beat them to it and had even released her. Luckily, however, they had yet to leave and remained in the room, talking. Ander signaled for Quinn to take cover, while he and Timmns went out to confront the two Sith. They walked up silently, surprising them when they finally noticed they were no longer alone.

 

The unnamed Sith looked straight at Ander but his gaze reached beyond him to see a bit of cloth moving slightly behind a pillar. The man smirked, returning his gaze to Ander. He watched, as Timmns talked, moving slowly as he drew his lightsaber and as soon as he touched it - he lunged for Ander, his blade extracting from its hilt. Ander barely managed to lift his own saber before the man disappeared into a cloud of smoke. Ekkage attack Timmns and Ander ran to his aid…

 

Quinn listened as lightsabers clashed and readied his blaster as he came around the corner. Though, a feeling of dread soon came over him. A pair of lips drew close to his ear and whispered… Quinn lifted his gun and spun around quickly. He avoided looking up as he fired a shot. _Please let this be enough._

 

A loud thud, caused Ander to jerk his head back to where he last saw Quinn. His officer was standing motionless over the dead body of the unnamed Sith. Ander immediately went to Quinn, worried for his well being and safety. Ander grabbed Quinn and turned him to look at him, but he wouldn’t… he just stared off into space as fear filled his eyes. Ander looked down at the Sith and saw that Quinn had shot him at point-blank range, straight through the core of his chest armor. He could see a well-defined hole all the way through to the floor. Still, Ander didn’t care about that, he was worried about Quinn. He wasn’t going to leave his side until he knew he was alright.

Somehow, even with Ander leaving the fight halfway through, Timmns had managed to incapacitate Ekkage and restrain her. He was very confused as to why Ander was still with Quinn, despite it being very obvious that he was unharmed until he noticed that Ander mirrored Quinn’s shock and fear. Timmns just stood there and watched Ander try his best to comfort Quinn. His words didn’t seem to have much effect on the troubled officer, so he wrapped his arms around him and hugged him. “I’m sorry Quinn, but he can’t hurt you anymore. I won’t let him or anyone else hurt you again.” Ander said softly and Quinn relaxed into his words. Though, he didn’t dare let go of his blaster as he pat Ander on the back, signaling to him that he was okay now. Ander released Quinn, who simply nodded, quietly thanking him. Ander finally turned from Quinn and turned to Timmns instead, who just nodded and turned back to the unconscious Ekkage.

“Help me lock her up,” Timmns said, as he went over to the cell controls. Ander lifted Ekkage with the Force and moved her back into the cell. Timmns shut the door behind her and returned to Ander. “Sorry for leaving you earlier.”

“Don’t be, you had to help Quinn. He really needed you back there.” Timmns said, giving a small smile. “I changed the password to her cell. So even if someone else comes, they will never be able to guess it.” Timmns laughed. “Want to share it with me?” Ander asked. Timmns shook his head. “Sorry, but it would ruin the surprise.” Timmns laughed, though Ander was quite confused, he smiled anyway. “Well, thanks for the help Timmns. We couldn’t have done it without you.”

“You too, Sith. I hope to see you around.” Timmns said, before leaving the room. Ander returned to Quinn, who waited for him by the door. “Let’s go, shall we?” Ander asked and Quinn nodded. The two made their way out of the compound and back to the ship.

 

\------------------

 

Long after everyone had gone to bed for the night, Quinn sat on the bridge. He busied himself with non-existent work, trying his hardest to forget what had transpired on Belsavis.

His voice didn’t bother Quinn, but the words he spoke shook him to his core. “Baras sends his regards; remember who owns you.”

Quinn was always so distracted that he hadn’t thought about if Baras was even keeping tabs on him, even cared about him anymore. Though an incoming call on his holopad said otherwise. Quinn reluctantly answered the call and put it up to his ear. “Ah, Captain, how wonderful to see you answer so quickly.” Quinn’s stomach sank to its lowest point in years. _No, please, not now._ Quinn was anxious as to what this courtesy call would entail. “Well, then, I assume you are eager to assist me once more? Ah, don’t answer that, of course, you are because if you weren’t you’d be putting that little son of yours in a heap of trouble. And you wouldn’t want that, would you?” _No… no, no, no, no… How? No, wait, calm down. He is just trying to scare you. He doesn’t know him. Intelligence doesn’t give out personal information to anyone. They will protect him-_ “Ah, yes, that agent… You must be so proud of him.” It felt as though Baras himself had punched him in the gut. He forced himself to remain quiet, he didn’t want to give himself away. “I just need one thing from you, Captain. Kill my old apprentice. I know he lives and I know you will do as I say.” Quinn couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Baras was bargaining his lord’s life for his son’s. His son didn’t deserve to get wrapped up in this mess but neither did his lord deserve such a fate… But… _I’m sorry, my lord._ “Of course, Lord Baras.”


	8. Forgiveness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One calls Ander's crew with new instructions and new information. Quinn, however, has some information of his own...

Sometime after the events on the planet of Belsavis, One contacted Ander’s ship. Ander gathered his crew in the main room, though it really didn’t matter if they were present or not - as One immediately turned his attention to Ander. Still, Ander liked to keep his crew included and up-to-date with what was going on. One mentioned earlier that Ander needed to be invited by a Dark Council member in order to be allowed to enter the Council Chambers. Thus, One said that he had found the perfect match for Ander. It would be hard for Ander to find an ally on the Council because of his obvious alignment to the Light.

Though for one Sith, alignment hardly mattered as long as the individual proved their usefulness. That Sith was none other than Darth Vowrawn. Vowrawn, the Sphere of Production and Logistics, was often noted to be a jokester or “class clown” by his peers. He rarely let things get to him and preferred to take his job less seriously, until Baras rose to take a Council seat. Normally, Vowrawn was rather indifferent towards his fellow associates but the minute Baras took his seat, he - and many others like him - knew Baras would bring nothing but trouble to the Empire’s infrastructure. _As if there wasn’t already enough trouble._ Was the popular opinion of many of the Council members. It was no secret that the Empire was severely weakened by the Sith infighting and Baras’ influence was not going to help.

One made a point to add that Baras had only been on the Dark Council for a month and he had already made several enemies within the Council ranks. Vowrawn was one of the more vocal enemies of Baras. In fact, he was the first to speak against Baras’ rise to power and has not shown any remorse in attacking Baras with his words. Baras has not let his outbursts go unpunished, however…

“As we speak, Baras has ordered a blockade of Corellia and trapped Vowrawn and his troops planetside. He is withholding any and all supplies from reaching Imperial troops, most likely to punish Vowrawn for actively assaulting him.” One said. Ander was dumbfounded. “Are you saying Baras is willing to have us lose Corellia all because of some argument?” Ander asked, he knew Baras was a crooked coward but this was ridiculous. One nodded, anything more would just be wasting his breath.

One took a deep breath, before speaking again. “Wrath, it would be in your best interest to head to Corellia as soon as possible and disassemble Baras’ blockade, as soon as possible. While you are there, however, there are more matters that need to be dealt with.” One paused to take out his holopad and type something in. A jingle was heard from Ander’s personal holoterminal and Ander checked it. On the screen, he saw a series of numbers, he paused for a moment, before looking back up to One for clarification. “I have given you my personal holo frequency. The Emperor has given me strict orders to serve you more closely. I will not, however, be joining you on your ship, but if you have something you need done quietly, then call on me and I will do as you say.”

One told Ander that he will be in touch, to give further instructions, when he lands on Corellia and ended the call. Ander turned to his crew and released them to resume their previous activities. Quinn, however, stayed behind. Before the call even came in, Quinn had told Ander that he had intercepted a broadcast from Baras to his fleet and wanted to let Ander in on what he had found. Thus, Ander pulled Quinn aside, to discuss the information that had been gathered.

“My lord, in the broadcast: Baras mentioned that in order for ships to bypass the blockade, they needed to go to a designated space station to receive a code. This would allow Baras’ troops access to the planet without going through the long security process. I believe it would be in our best interest to go to this station and get ourselves a pass. I am well known in Baras’ inner circle and as far as they know, I am still aligned with him.” Quinn said. “Great idea, Quinn. Let’s make a stop by the station and would you mind if I and Jaesa accompanied you? I wouldn’t want you to run into trouble and I feel like the experience would be good for her. If you don’t mind, that is.” Ander had to make sure to ask first. The last time he didn’t ask, Quinn took offense to the gesture and Ander was sure that he had hurt his feelings. Ander didn’t want the same thing to happen again and wanted to make sure that his suggestion was okay. Quinn shot his eyes to the floor for a moment but soon returned his gaze to his lord. “Of course, my lord. That will be fine.” Quinn bowed before his lord and Ander told him to go ahead and enter the coordinates into the ship’s navigation.

 

\------------------

 

Jaesa and Ander followed Quinn through the dim and cold hallways of the Transponder Space Station. It was odd, though, the pair expected the station to be at least somewhat guarded, but from the time they docked the ship, they hadn’t seen a soul. Ander noticed this to be particularly odd, considering Baras’ attention to detail but paid it no mind. He put his complete and utter trust in Quinn and knew that he would not drive him astray.

Jaesa, however, knew better. Since the day she had joined Ander’s crew, she made a promise to herself not to let her feelings cloud her judgment and if her gut gave her a bad feeling - when she would use her power to look into it. She had done so, earlier, quietly behind Ander’s back, and saw a dark shadow creep over Quinn. She didn’t quite know what that meant, as the light within his soul - that she had known to be there - was still trying it’s best to shine through. The shadow, on the other hand, seemed to be snuffing out the light, not overtaking it. Perhaps, it was better to wait and see, than to jump to conclusions.

 

The trio finally came to a large empty room, minus two heavily armed droids. Jaesa and Ander both got the feeling, that something was wrong and stopped in their tracks. Quinn continued on, however; he glanced down to the blaster on his hip and sighed. A gift, given to him by his lord. A caring and lovely person who did not deserve what was about to transpire, but neither did the other party.

Quinn walked until he stood between the two droids and stopped in his tracks. Slowly, he turned around to face his companions. Immediately, Jaesa drew her saber, sensing Quinn’s change of heart, but Ander signaled her to stop. Jaesa looked to Ander, asking with her eyes how he thought this will all end but Ander offered her no such answer. “Quinn, please. Talk to me… Did something happen?” Ander asked. He didn’t want to believe this was happening but he knew Quinn deserved a chance to explain himself.

Quinn did his best not to let his emotions get the better of him as he breathed in a long, strained breath. He felt like he was suffocating. To turn on the one person who had made him the happiest in such a short time, it _killed_ him. “I-I’m sorry, my lord.” Quinn wore a smile on his face, but it held only sadness and pain. “I didn’t want this, but Baras- He…” Quinn tripped over his own words. He didn’t think it would have been this hard. “He’ll kill my son if I don’t do what he says. My son… He doesn’t deserve to get dragged down into this grave I’ve dug for myself. He doesn’t deserve to pay for my sins…” Quinn was trying so hard not to burst into tears. He drew his blaster and pointed at Ander, though the shaking in his hands told everyone that this was the opposite of what he wanted. “I’m sorry, my lord. I hope you forgive me for this, one day.”

Jaesa was stunned. She knew Quinn intended this betrayal from the moment they stepped onto the station, but now she understood what the shadow meant. A shadow - not a dark mass. A cloak of burden and regret… Jaesa sheathed her saber and looked to her master for guidance. Ander frowned but he was not going to let this change how he felt about Quinn. He knew far too well what Quinn was going through.

Ander took a step forward and grabbed his twin sabers, before throwing them to the ground. Quinn looked down at the weapons as they clattered to the floor, before looking back up at Ander, who sat on the floor with his legs underneath him. He often took this position when meditating, but this time it was used to convey his pacifist nature. Ander looked up at Quinn, with a sad smile on his face. “Quinn…” Ander started. Quinn lowered his blaster, not quite sure what Ander was planning. “If you believe this is what you have to do to save your son. Then, by all means, kill me. Jaesa will not attack you, but she will continue what I have started. Hopefully, you will stand by her when she goes to Baras.” Quinn couldn’t believe what he was hearing and shook his head. “My lord, please. Don’t do this! The Empire needs you… If you kill me, then perhaps Baras will forget about my son.”

“Do you really believe that?” Ander asked, his blue eyes pierced through Quinn, causing a shiver to run up his spine. Quinn shook his head. Of course, Baras wouldn’t forget. He isn’t one to miss an opportunity to inflict pain on others. “Then, I will give up my life for your son’s… Willingly.”

Just then, one of the droids powered on. Its eyes a glow in the dimmed room.

<<Automatic Targeting System Active>>

<<Target Locked>>

<<Priming Weapon for Fire>>

Quinn, without a second thought, lunged for the droid’s gun arm, interrupting it’s firing protocol. The droid staggered to the side but soon stabilized itself and turned its systems on Quinn. The droid jerked its arm back against Quinn, violently hitting him in the stomach. The droid hit him so hard, that Quinn was knocked unconscious. He fell to the ground and in that short period of time, Ander ordered Jaesa to his side, while he took out the droids.

 

Various droid parts and scraps were scattered across the floor, as Jaesa tended to Quinn’s injuries. Ander had given the machines no mercy as he sliced them apart. They deserved no such thing for hurting the one person Ander had cared so much about. Jaesa had mentioned to Ander, after the fight, that it seemed like he knew what Quinn would do. Ander nodded but said nothing in return. Slowly but surely, however, Quinn began to regain consciousness.

Quinn blinked his eyes open, as his vision became more and more clear. His first thought was the soreness coming from his midsection and the next was the realization that his lord was looking at him. Then reality set in, as Quinn remembered everything that had happened in the events that led up to this.

Quinn immediately sat up, bowing his head to his lord. “I-I’m so sorry, my lord.” Was all Quinn managed to utter before being pulled into the arms of his lord. Ander wrapped his arms around Quinn and hugged him tightly, before asking. “What did he do to you? What did he say to hurt you so much, Quinn?” Quinn said nothing, as he returned Ander’s hug, though that was all the evidence Ander needed. Ander’s hands rubbed up and down Quinn’s back, a soothing gesture that worked far more than it should have, but Quinn didn’t care at that moment. He felt so _safe_ , so _loved_. What a silly thought. As if anyone could ever love him after all the mistakes he had made…

“One, I have a request.” Quinn was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of Ander’s voice. Ander had called One on his personal holoterminal. “Wrath?” One asked. “Can you have someone protect an Imperial agent from Baras? My captain just told me that Baras intends to kill them.” Ander said. “Of course, Wrath. Give me their name and I will send Two to protect them.” Ander looked down to Quinn and smiled. Quinn nodded in response and cleared his throat. “His name is… Heig Quinn.” One nodded and ended the call. Ander then released Quinn from his hug but kept his hands secured around his shoulders. He looked into his companion’s eyes and smiled. “I promise you. I will not let Baras hurt either of you.” Then, Ander gave Quinn one last pat on the shoulders and helped him stand.

The three of them made their way out of the station in a silent march, that made Quinn just as uncomfortable as before. Before they boarded the ship, however, Quinn pulled them aside. “Will you… tell the others of this?” Quinn asked. He had no idea why he was asking in the first place. Of course, they were going to be told. It made the most sense. Once a traitor, always a traitor… He couldn’t be trusted anymore.

“No. Why would we?” Once again, Ander surprised him. Jaesa nodded in agreement with her master. “Well, I would understand if..”

“Quinn.” Ander placed a hand on his shoulder. Quinn focused in on those deep blue eyes of his. “You were only doing what you had to do to protect your family. Family is the most important thing in this universe. You have to do your best to protect it.” Ander smiled as his eyes told Quinn that everything was going to be alright and Quinn believed him. “Yes. Of course, my lord.” Quinn bowed and followed his lord back onto the ship.

 

\------------------

 

Later that day, as the ship was drawing closer to Corellia, Pierce asked for Ander to speak with him privately. Ander already didn’t like Pierce but this time he had an even worse feeling about him. Ander and Pierce walked into the ship’s conference room and closed the door behind them. “I had a bad feeling when we made a detour to that space station, so, when you guys left the ship - I decided to follow you. I hung back, so Quinn wouldn’t catch me tailing you guys…” Pierce started. “But I was surprised to see him try to betray you.” Ander was furious but held his tongue. “Though I must admit, the way you handled it was really good… But why would you actually go through with sparing him? If I were you, I would have killed him. He was the one who decided to go through with it. He deserved to die.” Ander glared at Pierce and for a second, he swore he saw Ander’s eyes flash red, though he could have just as easily imagined it. “If you even so much as think about touching a hair on Quinn. I will hunt you down and kill you. Do not speak of this to anyone… Am I understood?” Ander asked. Pierce took a step back and nodded. “Good,” Ander said before leaving the room and Pierce swore once more, that his life flashed before his eyes...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, if anyone noticed, I took Broonmark completely out of the story because in the original game I kind of only saw him as filler content to make up for not having a suitable 5th companion for the Sith Warrior. Except they totally could have gone with One.... but you know, that would have been a good idea... UGGHHHH!!
> 
> Also I have been thinking of this non-stop and haven't made a clear decision. So I want to ask you guys... How do you guys think Ander and Quinn should confess to eachother or one confess to the other? It won't happen until after Knights of the Fallen Empire... so anyone got any good ideas?


	9. Corellia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Years everyone! Hope you enjoy the latest chapter. If you do, please leave a comment. I REALLY want to know your opinions... >:3

The Fury landed safely in Coronet’s Spaceport despite there being twenty Star Destroyers looming just in Corellia’s orbit. There was no doubt in Ander’s mind, that they were Baras’ - which he no doubt obtained through empty threats. Still, Baras’ network of spies and assassins was one to be feared, so perhaps they were not so harmless.

 

Ander and Jaesa gathered their gear and headed for the door. Quinn was next to the exit, waiting to send off his lord with farewells and good wishes. However, a sadness washed over his heart. He understood why Ander was choosing to bring Jaesa with him now; he had just tried and failed to betray him hours earlier. He had no right to accompany his lord now, let alone speak to him. Yet again, Quinn was confusing Ander with other Siths…

 

Ander signaled for Jaesa to go on, while he stayed behind to talk with Quinn a bit. “Quinn, I just want you to know that I’m not mad at you. I’m not upset or anything like that. I read Vowrawn’s profile and it said that he has orange colored eyes. I know how much Dark Side traits bother you, or at least I know enough.” Ander paused to put a hand on his Captain’s shoulder and Quinn understood. “I’m leaving you in charge of the ship while we are gone. If anything happens, you have my number.”

“Understood, my lord.” Quinn saluted and stood at attention until Ander finally left the ship. Ander walked down the ramp of his ship and saw Jaesa at the Security Check, being harassed by an Imperial soldier. Ander immediately ran over and explained that she was with him. The soldier tilted his head, confused why a Sith would bring a Jedi with him, but said nothing and let them pass.

 

Outside, Ander finally was able to receive a signal and an incoming call from One. “Wrath, can you hear me?” The static was there, but it was minimal. “Loud and clear, One,” Ander said in a joking matter. Truth be told, he just couldn’t help himself. One, however, was not amused. “Right…” There was a pause before One spoke again. “There is a shuttle pilot near your location that will take you to the ships in Corellia’s orbit. I suggest you attend to them first, before heading for Draahg - and before you ask, it is because Draahg is on the other side of town.”

“Aww, how’d you guess?” Ander really was going to ask and was awfully curious as to how One knew. “Have you never tried to Mind Read over holocall?” One asked. Ander was dumbfounded. “Wait. That’s a thing?” Ander looked to Jaesa who was equally as confused. They both heard an audible sigh come from the holoterminal’s speakers before the call abruptly ended. There was a moment of confused silence before the duo decided it was better to just get to work.

 

Surprisingly, the shuttle pilot didn’t call for help as soon as he saw Ander approach. In fact, he ran up to him and asked him if he was the “nice Sith” he had heard so much about. Apparently, there was a rumor spreading around the Imperial military about a friendly Sith that used to be Baras’ apprentice. Baras denied all claims of this, of course, but it seemed that the rumor had its origins on Quesh. Ander just laughed at this new information and hugged the pilot, before asking him if he would fly him and Jaesa up to the blockade ships. The pilot agreed and asked if Ander would like an escort to the ship captain. Ander agreed and Jaesa looked at him as though he was crazy, but went along with it nonetheless.

 

Ander and Jaesa were escorted by four Imperial soldiers to the bridge of one of the Star Destroyers. As soon as they entered the spacious room, the once silent crew began to conduct themselves in hushed conversations. The Captain of the ship approached them, signaling the guards to leave the room. Ander was hopeful for peaceful outcomes but was still ready for a fight. “My lord,” The Captain bowed in front of Ander. “How may I help you?” Ander was surprised by him. He could tell this was one of Baras’ men and yet he wasn’t hostile in the slightest. Hopefully, he hadn’t already accepted his fate. “Um, so, this fleet… It’s the one responsible for the blockade right?” Ander asked. He honestly had no idea how to say it, even though it was as simple as saying _“ Disband this blockade immediately!”_ or something along those lines.

 

The Captain nodded, his expression was one of boredom and discontent. “Well, um, would you guys please disband the blockade? Please? I really don’t want to kill you guys, because you all seem like really nice folks and-” Ander stopped as soon as he saw the Captain’s face light up with a smile. The Captain didn’t turn around as he said. “I guess the rumor was true, boys! We got ourselves a friendly Sith in the ranks.” The Captain paused as he recomposed himself. “Of course we will disband the blockade. Anything for the Sith who will finally rid us of Baras, but-” Ander hated ‘buts’. “We need you to dispose of Lord Draahg first. As long as he lives, Baras will know of our desertion and have us hunted and killed for disobeying orders. Even now, Draahg is watching. Which is why when the shuttle called and said that you were coming, we had the security footage looped. Please, my lord, kill Draahg so we can finally help our brothers and sisters on the ground.” The Captain saluted and Ander nodded. He and Jaesa immediately headed back to the surface and got onto the monorail.

 

Just as Ander was about to take a seat, he received a call from One. Ander stood up straight, once more, as he answered the call. “Wrath. The blockade is still in place. What happened?” Ander raised a brow at the question. “Can’t you just read my mind?” He was still slightly upset by the abrupt hangup from earlier. However, the mild static that was present before grew in volume and Ander realized that he was starting to lose his signal. “Um, the fleet won’t disband until I kill Draahg. Any idea where he is?” Ander asked and hoped the call hadn’t been dropped. There was a moment where the static started to lighten back up, once more, and One could finally get a few words through. “No… Republic Base… Clear it… For the Empire.” Was all Ander could hear before static took over once more and a pair of coordinates were sent to him. Somehow text messages were clear to go, but video calls were not, but still, Ander looked at the coords and entered them into his holopad.

 

He had to rush to train’s stop button, so he wouldn’t miss the correct station, but he made it and he and Jaesa exited the train. “So, Master… Where are we going to next?” Jaesa asked. Ander shrugged as he tried to get his bearing in relation to the map. “Some Republic base. I think One is just buying time so he can locate Draahg…” Ander made a face that said he didn’t believe what One had said earlier about Draahg’s location, but nevertheless, he truly didn’t mind. Having One’s help was truly a miraculous gift and soon… _his friendship_. Ander just really wanted him to be his friend. Then he could brag about having a secret Sith agent as a friend. He had no idea why that thought made him so happy. Jaesa had to snap Ander out of his thoughts and eventually they headed out towards the base.

 

Somehow, with Coronet literally burning and crumbling around them, Ander and Jaesa find the Republic base. If it can even be called such a thing. It only had one Republic flag and two sentries out front. Still, though, that didn’t tell them how many were inside and even though they were political enemies, Ander really didn’t want to kill them. Jaesa was very much in agreement with that thought as well, but if she had to, she would cut them down. Ander looked to his apprentice and frowned. “Hey.” Jaesa looked up at her master. “Why don’t you go ahead of me and see if you can convince them to talk with us? You still look like a Jedi. You could totally get close to them without getting shot on sight.” Jaesa didn’t need any more convincing and dusted off her robe. Ander hid behind the nearest crumbling building and watched as Jaesa approached the two guards out front.

 

As he expected, Jaesa was met with passive queries and confused faces, but nothing more. Jaesa asked if she could speak with the person in charge and one guard nodded, as he spoke into his earpiece. As she waited, however, she grew more and more anxious about whether or not she had somehow given herself away. That was until a friendly looking Republic Commander exited the building and Jaesa heard Ander shouting from afar, “Naughlen?!” Her master jumped out of his hiding spot and was immediately greeted with at least four shots of blaster fire until Naughlen told them to hold their fire. Ander looked up at Naughlen with a wide smile and made his way over to his apprentice.”What are you doing here?” Ander asked as he and the Commander shared a friendly handshake. “I could ask you the same thing, Sith. I never thought I’d see you again! Not after Nar Shaddaa. What brings you to our side of town?” Jaesa looks between the two men, utterly confused and baffled. Ander notices her and quickly introduces her and explains how he and Naughlen met, before answering his question.

 

“Well, you see. A while back I was betrayed by my master and then made to be the Emperor’s personal assassin by the Emperor himself. And right now I’m not really sure why, but the Emperor’s own personal secret agents want me to clear this place out for the Empire.” Ander paused to catch his breath and let Naughlen get a chance to digest all he had been told. Which wasn’t going down easily. “But now that I know you are here, I really don’t want to kill you. You know?” Ander asked. Naughlen nodded. “So, I was wondering if you guys could just leave. I only need you to do it for me while I’m on the planet. Once I’m gone, you guys can rush back in here and take over again. I just need this to be able to get to my old master…” Ander trailed off, as he began to realize how much he was asking Naughlen to do, but the Republic Commander surprised him with a smile. “Alright, Sith. I’ll order my men to pack up and move out. Don’t worry about me. I just tell my superiors I saved my men from being massacred by an angry Sith. They will be none the wiser. Good luck out there, Sith.” Naughlen said goodbye to the two of them, before rallying his men to move out.

Ander was extremely pleased with the outcome of the Republic Base and sent a message to One with his progress. Just an hour after the message was sent, two armored Imperial vehicles arrived at the outpost and unloaded quite a few soldiers and equipment. Ander and Jaesa took that as their cue to move on and returned to the monorail.

 

Once there, Ander finally realized that the only working cell towers were the ones that were built onto the monorail stations after the riots broke out. No wonder Ander had such a hard time keeping a signal. The monorail tracks were so long, that the halfway decent cell towers’ range would only reach about the length of the station before being dropped. Somehow the towers all had the same frequency but there was no way in hell Ander was going to complain about that.

 

As Ander was mindlessly spacing out and staring at his personal holoterminal, a call from One began to ring. Ander immediately snapped out of his brainless state and answered it in a panic. “Hello?” He asked, as One’s image clearly came in. “Wrath.” One said in a less than amused tone. “I have pinpointed Draahg’s exact location. I have sent you the coordinates.” Then Ander had a brilliant idea. “One, wait. Could you send those coordinates to a shuttle pilot? I have his number and tell him to give it to the fleet captains. I think they will know what to do with it.” One narrowed his eyes but went ahead with Ander’s request. “Thank you, One. Much appreciated.” Ander said, but One quickly ended the call soon after. Ander turned to Jaesa with a wide smile on his face. “Are you ready to see what having “friends with big guns” is like?” He asked. “What-” Jaesa wanted to ask what he meant by that but she found herself being dragged onto the monorail shortly after.

 

Ander and Jaesa sat on the roof of a building several hundreds of yards from the coordinates of Draahg’s hideout. Jaesa was still very confused as to what was going on but was soon distracted when Ander handed her a sugary snack and a canned drink. “Just watch and learn,” Ander said as he opened his drink. A moment later, thousands of missiles came crashing down on the intended target and within seconds, the entire building was consumed by a cloud of smoke and dust. Jaesa’s jaw dropped as she watched the building crumble before her. Ander leaned towards her. “I guess you could say, _I have friends in high places_.” He said, before slowly leaning back into his original position. Jaesa turned to him with the most disgusted look on her face, before snickering past her utter disgust. “That was the worst. Please, master. Never do that again.” She laughed. They finished their afternoon snack before returning to the Coronet Spaceport.

 

As they exited the monorail and made their way to the Spaceport entrance, Ander noticed a Sith Pureblood was hanging around with an armed escort. Ander signaled Jaesa to stay behind him, as he made his way up the entrance ramp. The unknown Sith was quick to approach Ander, which made him tense up and reach for his saber. “Hold up there. I know who you are, Wrath. Sorry if I startled you, but I was just so eager to meet the person who helped me out so much. Ah, but where are my manners. Darth Vowrawn, nice to meet you.” Vowrawn said, his tone was halfway between joking and charming. Still, though, Ander was excited. Not only could he have One as a friend but Vowrawn too. Far. Too. Excited. “Itsgreattomeetyoutoo-” Ander took a deep breath, he needed to calm down. “My name is Ander and this is my apprentice Jaesa.” Ander bowed. Vowrawn looked down on Ander with a sly grin. _“ Oh boy, the Council is going to get a kick out of you,”_ Vowrawn said quietly but still loud enough so Ander could hear him. “Well, I know one Council member who will get kicked but I’m not sure about the others.” An audible groan was heard behind Ander but Vowrawn couldn’t hold back his laughter. “I already like you. Alright, so you are going to kill Baras, is that the plan?” Ander opened his mouth to respond but Vowrawn cut him off. “Okay, cool. I’ll tell the boys to let you in and then you just come right in yelling a bunch of fat jokes. Okay? Okay. Great. See you in two days!” Vowrawn said, waving the two goodbyes and entering the station. Jaesa looked at Ander, pleading with him not to do this, but Ander just gave her a wide grin. “If he wants fat jokes. Then he shall have his fat jokes!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sorry. I will never be sorry for these wonderful jokes.


	10. Baras

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the dark Chapter! It was bound to happen since it is the final arc of Act 1 of this fic. I promise the intermission will be more lighthearted though!
> 
> Warning! There is one scene in here with intense violence! That scene will be marked with stars so if you wanna protect your innocence, skip when you see these => ******
> 
> I promised fat jokes, so sorry for the depressing crap.... anyway time to make that rating change I told myself I was going to do..... wooooop.

Quinn flawlessly pulled the Fury into position to begin the docking sequence at the Korriban orbital space station. Quinn checked the ship’s stats to first make sure it didn’t need any fuel before getting up from his seat and leaving the bridge. He walked out into the main room and made a sharp right towards his lord’s quarters. The door was closed, as was the case when Ander didn’t want to be disturbed, so Quinn sent him a quick text message to inform him he was outside and wished to speak to him. About three minutes passed before the door opened and Ander left the room. Fully geared in his signature armor, Quinn noticed his lord had purchased some upgrades for his suit. The most prominent being the slim, lightweight breather that covered his nose and mouth. It looked to be a high-end model, as most breathers were bulky and easily added at least two pounds onto your face. “Ready for your fight with Baras, my lord?” Quinn asked, though he really shouldn’t have. He knew his lord would have little trouble with the man, but it was always good to ask.

 

Ander nodded, taking in a deep breath to let the mask adjust to the smell of actual air. Quinn gave his lord a moment before continuing. “I just wanted to say… I wish I could be there to see you put Baras in his place.” Ander took a second to process Quinn’s wish before a light went off in his head and in his eyes. He turned to Quinn, before making his way to the holoterminal in the center of the room. He entered in Darth Vowrawn’s number and waited for him to answer. Quinn watched with silent confusion as Vowrawn’s visage appeared.

 

“Ah, Wrath. Good to see you. Do you… need something?” Vowrawn asked. “By any chance,” Ander started. “Would you be able or willing to film my encounter with Baras? Please? I want to show my crew afterward.” There was a moment of silence from Vowrawn as he pondered the question. “I suppose that would suffice…”

“But…?” Ander asked. “But, I could post it online as well and send you the link instead of a giant file. Cool? Cool. Great, see you in a bi-” The audio cut abruptly as Vowrawn ended the call. Ander turned off the holoterminal to save engine power and turned to Quinn once more. Behind his captain, Ander could see the rest of his crew slowly peep their heads out of rooms and gather into the room.

 

The Fury wasn’t an exactly large ship, but it was very obvious when someone was talking on the ship’s holoterminal since everyone on board could hear it. As though the excited Twi’lek repeatedly jumping in front of Ander wasn’t enough evidence of this being true. Ander gave Vette a gentle pat on the shoulders to calm her down, before giving her his full attention.

 

“Did I hear you right? You’re going to film it? Awesome!” Vette yelled, thrusting her arms into the air. Jaesa, on the other hand, was not looking forward to hearing Ander’s awful jokes twice and made her displeasure known with a low groan. Ander smiled at his apprentice and made his way to her.

 

“Don’t worry, Jaesa. You don’t have to come this time.” Ander pulled out his holopad and swiped to his most recent messages and read One’s newest message aloud. “Wrath. I will be waiting for you at the Academy’s entrance. I will accompany you to face Baras for I fear the Dark Council will not believe that you were sent by our master. Come alone.” Ander smiled at his crew, though it was hardly visible through his mask. Jaesa was greatly relieved but Quinn’s mind took him elsewhere.

 

His thoughts grew louder and louder until he could not ignore them any longer. Why was he so upset by One asking his lord to be his only companion? Why was he so _bothered_ by this? It wasn’t the first time his lord had chosen someone else to be by his side, it certainly wouldn’t be the last. This was official Imperial business, a mission given to him by the Sith Emperor. It made perfect sense why only the Emperor’s chosen should go… But, still. _No…_ Quinn thought to himself, he knew better. He knew he would be nothing but dead weight to his lord in that building. The one place he must not tread. The culmination and production of his worst fears and nightmares and yet… He wanted to be there with his lord… He wanted, but didn’t _deserve…_ How much would it take for Quinn to believe that his lord didn’t _want_ him there? How much would it take for him to believe that Ander was still _angry_ at him for his countless mistakes? Was he **lying** to keep Quinn obedient?

 

The loud bang from the ship’s doors as they closed behind Ander, shook Quinn from his thoughts. The ever-stalwart Captain was violently thrown back to reality as he found himself and Jaesa alone in the main room. Jaesa signaled him to follow her, which he did without question. As though to add fuel to the fire, finding out that someone had caught him doing nothing, only added more doubt to his already horrible case against himself. Jaesa stopped as she entered the storeroom and signaled Quinn to stand against the wall. She then peeped out the doorway to ensure they were as far from the rest of the crew as they could possibly be, before closing the door.

 

She turned to the shame-filled captain and softened her expression. “Captain.” She started, getting Quinn’s attention. “I know Master would be upset if he knew I did so, but I started to read your mind when you went silent.” Quinn didn’t move. Too ashamed that he let his thoughts get the better of him, he remained silent. Jaesa rested her hands on his shoulders, hoping to comfort him in a way. “You shouldn’t let your mind say such things to you. None of that is true. Master cares about you and doesn’t want you to suffer any unnecessary pain. He wasn’t lying when he said he wasn’t angry. He even told me on Corellia that he really wanted you to come, but he knew as soon as you set eyes on Lord Vowrawn you would have had an unpleasant experience. Please, Captain, don’t believe the demons in your mind.” Jaesa said softly. _Demons._ A storybook villain brought to life by his doubt. Perhaps she was telling him the truth. Quinn quietly thanked her, before leaving the room.

 

\---------------

 

Ander climbed the once familiar stairs to the Sith Academy. He’d done this many times before, but this time it felt like he was redoing a scene from his past. Almost four years ago, he climbed these same steps as he ran away from danger. This time though, he was running straight into danger, but he wasn’t afraid. Not even as One seemingly appeared out of black shadows, his naturally red pureblood eyes aglow in the dimmed hallway. A scene that made the nearby Sith acolytes and Overseers recoil in surprise and fear, before quickly making their exit. There were no words or whispers spoken between them as they made their way to the upper levels of the Academy.

 

The once threatening Dark Honor guards made no attempt to bar their path and instead actually took notice of them before moving closer to the walls they stood against. Perhaps it was Vowrawn who informed them of their arrival or perhaps One scared the living shit out of them. Ander wasn’t opposed to the latter since seeing One in the flesh gave him a feeling he did not experience over holocalls.

 

They were stopped only by the locked doors to the Council Chambers, as was customary when the Dark Council was in session. Ander made a move for his holopad to text Vowrawn to let them in, when One used the Force to blast the doors in. The door frame completely detached from the walls it was connected to and flew into the large room. The twisted metal door crashed into the wall on the opposite side of the room, leaving a large crater in the stone wall.

 

The Council members were immediately hushed as One and Ander made their way inside the room. Vowrawn was stunned but still grabbed his holopad and began filming. Ander looked around the room and made note of two notable figures: Darth Vowrawn and Darth Baras.

 

“Members of the Dark Council. Listen to me and hear the words of your Sith Emperor. One amongst you has committed crimes against his Empire and his loyal servants. He has unleashed his Wrath down upon them and has sent me to ensure none of you interfere.”

 

“Emperor, my ass.” Baras rose from his seat and made his way down the steps. “Our _Emperor_ has been absent from our nation for centuries. Why in all the galaxy would he care now? Hmm? Tell me!” Baras shouted though he wasn’t really expecting an answer. His attention immediately turned to Ander, who had already drawn his twin sabers. “Ah, my former -supposed to be dead- apprentice is now the Emperor’s pet, hmm? Tell us, pup, who have you come to kill?” Baras asked, his tone was nothing short of mocking.

 

Ander lifted his saber and pointed it at Baras. “You.” His voice a low growl. Baras laughed but soon looked to his colleagues and saw that none of them have moved a muscle. He slowly, but surely began to panic until Darth Marr spoke up. “Come now, Baras, surely you saw this coming?”

“Yes, take your fate with some dignity.” Darth Ravage added. This was proof that Baras was alone in this fight. “Go on, Wrath. You have the Council’s support. Do what you came to do.” Vowrawn said, still filming. Ander didn’t turn to look at the individual Sith but a cheeky smirk did appear on his face, beneath his mask.

 

Baras, furious with the cowardice of his fellow coworkers threw his fist in the air, to signal his men in hiding to reveal themselves. One by one, four assassins in top-of-the-line stealth gear appeared out of thin air, ready to turn the tide of battle into their master’s favor. Ander sighed, disappointed by Baras’ lack of courage to face him alone. Though, this gave him a nice opportunity he just had to take. “Dammit. I knew poisoning your cookie supply would have been easier.” A muffled snort was heard from behind Ander, no doubt from Vowrawn trying his hardest not to burst out laughing and keep the camera steady.

******************

Though things were not all fun in games… “I said…” Ander turned his head to look at One, behind him. His natural red eyes slowly shifted to a piercing yellow, as he lifted one open hand in front of him. “No interlopers…” Ander then looked back at Baras’ hired help and found them to have been lifted into the air. Their throats looked to be constricted by an invisible force… Then, there was a slight twist and finally - all four of them, at the same time, had their heads forcefully separated from their shoulders. Blood gushed from their stunted necks until a large pool gathered beneath them. Everyone had recoiled in surprise from that, some had even turned away in disgust. One then, neatly, piled them by the door, to get them out of the way. His eyes slowly returned red afterward.

*********************

Truthfully, after seeing that, Baras was more than willing to give up, but his pride told him to go down fighting, even though it was pointless. Baras drew his saber and began to channel some Force Lightning in his other hand. Ander was not a fool, though. He was not going to charge into an incapacitating shock and be beheaded. He did not have long to think, however, as Baras unleashed a stream of lightning towards him. Ander threw his off-hand saber in front of him to draw the lightning away. A bright flash and loud crack filled the room as Ander’s weapon absorbed the force from Baras’ attack.

 

Ander used this moment to blindly charge for Baras, knowing he too would be unable to see for a moment. Using the Force to propel himself forward, Ander slid across the floor. He made an educated guess as to how far he had traveled and where Baras was in the room. When it felt right, Ander swung his saber upwards, in a sweeping motion. He must have missed Baras, as he didn’t hear the scorching of flesh, but instead the whining of heated metal as though being rapidly cooled. Ander slowed to a halt before getting up and turning to face his opponent, his vision no longer blurred.

 

Baras, too, was no longer handicapped by his vision and when he looked up, his apprentice was no longer in front of him and his weapon felt… lighter? He looked down to see his saber had been cleanly cut in half. Half of it remained in his hand and half on the floor, making the most awful noise. His apprentice, on the other hand, was now behind him. He cut his saber in half? **How dare he.** Baras, in an absolute fit of rage, crumpled the mask he wore and threw it to the ground. “You damn fucking, Light Side dog! Look at me! Don’t you see it?!” His red eyes glowed like a flame, though Ander really didn’t know what he meant.

 

“All I see is a fat, ugly bastard who can’t fight his own battles. Even now, you resort to words, if only to delay your end.” Ander said. Baras was tipped over the edge and threw his ruined saber to the ground. Using both hands, he shot a continuous stream of lightning at Ander. Using his remaining saber, Ander blocked Baras’ pathetic attempt. Ander just watched as Baras tired himself out. Eventually, the attacks stopped coming and Baras slumped over on himself. His continued reckless use of the Force, combined with his lack of exercise and self-care, had caused irreversible organ damage, leaving him inches from death’s door. Ander walked over and kneeled down in front of the crippled Darth. His eyes once filled with mockery, now begging for mercy…

 

Ander was going to give him no such thing. One made his way to Ander’s side and waited for his decision. “One.” Ander stood up from his position. “Take him to a remote planet on the edge of this galaxy. Ensure he receives no help, has no way to survive, and no hope.” Ander reached for his off-hand saber, which flew to him instantly, as he made his way across the room to the doorway.

  
As a farewell, however, Ander used the Force to give Baras a message... _If you do somehow manage to live despite your injuries, may the Emperor pray for you, because I will make sure you never hurt Quinn ever again._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, the idea for the online video was from Aemixx on deviant art! Here is a link to her comic she made: https://www.deviantart.com/aemixx/art/33-spoilers-Social-Media-471278371
> 
> Please check it out and give her my love. She was a huge inspiration and is an awesome artist.


	11. Intermission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically just a bunch of otherwise short chapters in one mega chapter to explain lots of things in one go. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ander staggered his way through his ship’s docking doors. The fight with Baras wasn’t a physically taxing one, but he was still exhausted. The walk and shuttle ride back to his ship gave him plenty of time to think. Perhaps it was too much time. Ander had begun to doubt his choices and even himself, but as he entered his ship and saw his crew standing at attention for him, perhaps they could understand.

 

“My lord. Welcome back-”

“Did he film it? Can we watch it?!” Vette blurted out. Quinn looked at her with a disgusted expression, before once again turning back to look at Ander. “I…” Ander started but didn’t finish. Quinn instantly grew worried. “Vette, please. Our lord has been through a lot. I am sure he is exhausted.” Quinn said. Vette settled down, if only because she too cared about Ander’s well being. Ander smiled. His friends really did care about him. _I know they will understand._ He thought. “Yeah, he filmed it. You guys got some snacks ready?” Ander asked. Vette immediately ran to the food storage and returned with plenty of fattening drinks and snacks for the crew, much to Quinn’s disapproval.

 

The crew rearranged the conference room in preparation for the ‘movie night’. Ander and Jaesa moved the table and chairs to the far wall, piling them neatly on top of themselves. Vette and Pierce transported the couches from the main room and placed them in the middle of the newly dubbed movie room, while Quinn set up the projector and hooked it up to the internet. The crew settled in with their snacks and drinks and waited for the video to load.

 

About two minutes in, the group asked for a pause. “So, why did you guys decide to blow the door in?” Vette asked. Ander turned to her with a face that looked greatly offended. “I didn’t! I was actually in the process of texting Vowrawn to let us in when One busted the door down!” Ander said. “You do realize it would take fourteen packs of explosives to knock it ‘down’. He made that thing fly!” Pierce said. “He has a point, my lord,” Quinn added. Ander took a deep breath. “I didn’t ask for this, I swear.” He said, before resuming the video.

 

Another four minutes of soft chuckles and low groans before another pause was made. “Aww, why’d you stop it? It was getting good!” Pierce laughed. “Yeah, Sith. Not only that, but you looked so damn cool right that.” Vette added. Ander lowered his gaze and no one but Quinn took notice of the grief displayed on his face. “Guys, from here on out. Just know that I wasn’t expecting any of this to happen.” Ander resumed the video and within seconds everyone understood what he meant. The video was shaky but the image was clear. One killed all four of those men, without so much as a struggle. Everyone looked at the screen in fear, except Ander. _It… was much worse in person, Jaesa._ Ander whispered to her. _I can believe it, Master._ She replied.

 

There was a moment of silence from the crew before Quinn spoke up. “But… he helped you. He didn’t just announce you to the Dark Council and leave you to fight them by yourself.” Ander looked at Quinn, wide-eyed like a light had gone off in his head. Vette recovered her nerves, as well. “Yeah, I mean, his means were a bit extreme but they were going to die anyway. Why not make a show of it?” Vette asked though she did admit this ‘show’ made her a bit sick. “At least now, you won’t be the only one with nightmares.” Jaesa tried her hardest to laugh, but it was _very_ forced. Ander, however, laughed very hard at that. His doubts had him so worried, he was very thankful for his friends’ understanding. He resumed the video once more.

 

The rest of the showing went on without a hitch and there were even cheers when Ander announced Baras’ punishment. “That’s what you get, you fat bastard,” Pierce yelled; Vette and Jaesa rallied with him. Quinn turned to his lord, a smile once again on his face. “A very good choice, my lord.” And Ander understood that he had nothing to fear until his personal holoterminal began to ring. The crew hushed themselves as he answered. An unfamiliar male human, to them, appeared and they were instantly confused.

 

Ander knew who he was, however, and he made a sad attempt to smile. “Oh, uh, hi… Uncle Harkun… Good to see you again?” Ander asked he meant to say it, but that was definitely a question that came out of his mouth. Harkun narrowed his eyes at the Emperor’s Wrath. “Good to see you? Like, as a question? That’s all I get after sheltering you and your sisters for three years and worrying about you for a year without so much as a text message to know you are still alive when your master announces you dead?!” Ander had no answer for him and he felt awful for it. He knew, better than anyone, how much Harkun sacrificed to keep him safe all those years. “And then- And then I see you walking the halls once more with a scary as hell looking pureblood and come to discover you caused millions of credits worth in property damage to the academy? But most of all…” Ander braced himself for a very loud lecture. “You are alive and safe and the Emperor’s Wrath…” Harkun broke his angry speech to look at Ander with tear filled eyes. “I promised your dad I would look after you kids and I am so glad I don’t have to go to him to tell him I failed. I’m happy to see you alive, Ander. I know you must be busy, so I only ask you to come to see me when you have time.” Ander had to wipe tears away from his own eyes. “I will Uncle, I promise,” Ander said. Harkun closed his eyes and nodded, before ending the call.

 

Everyone was super curious but didn’t want to say anything, in fear of being too invasive. Ander sensed his friends’ curiosity from miles away. “Well, for starters, we aren’t really related. My dad and him were just really good friends and allies when they were younger. I’m guessing he made this promise sometime when I was younger because I don’t remember my dad saying anything about it.” Ander stopped for a moment because he noticed he was starting to ramble but also that Vette opened her mouth like she wanted to say something. “You’ve… never talked about your parents before…” Vette said, her tone was sadder than expected. “Vette!” Vette turned quickly to look at Quinn, surprised by his rise in volume. “That is far too personal of a topic. If our lord wishes to give details, he shall. Until then, I suggest you mind yourself.” Quinn had to step in. The look on Ander’s face told he was far too uncomfortable to continue the conversation. Ander silently thanked his captain for stepping in and eventually the crew dispersed from the room.

 

Ander felt horrible for how he ended the night, he had to make it up to his crew, eventually.

 

\-----------------------

 

**Two months after the Emperor’s Wrath’s rise to power…**

 

Darth Nox and her bodyguard, newly named Darth Malice, stood before the Dark Council as their newest and youngest members. Having just defeated Darth Thanaton and taken his seat on the Council, the rest of the members hoped this would have marked the end of the Sith infighting and ushered in a stronger more united Empire. Darth Nox, however, was more interested in other matters. She walked over to the ruined door of the Dark Council chambers and inspected it. She was soon joined by her twin sister, Darth Malice. “What do you think caused this, sis?” Nox asked. Malice shrugged. Vowrawn, however, noticed the young girls over by the twisted hunk of metal and thought they deserved an explanation. It was kind of a cool story…

 

“Nox! Malice! I see you have found our ‘door’.” Vowrawn jokingly said. The twin girls chuckled beneath their breath. “Oh my goodness. You are just as bad as our brother.” Nox said. Malice smiled at the old pureblood. “He would really like you.” She said. Vowrawn bowed. “I hope to meet him one day.” The girls returned his grace, before asking about the door. Vowrawn proceeded to show them the video he had recorded.

 

A moment later, their eyes widened and jaws dropped. “Cool, right?” Vowrawn asked. The girls looked to each other, before nodding and looking back to Vowrawn. “That’s our brother.” They said in unison and pointed to the crimson haired human on the screen. Everyone in the Council choked, immediately turning their attention to Nox and Malice. _Holy shit._ They thought in unison.

 

\--------------------------

 

**Vaiken Spacedock’s Cantina**

 

Ander sat with his crew in a large booth in one of the cantina’s corners. The table was bare, they just having ordered their drinks and chatting amongst themselves when Ander’s personal holoterminal began to ring. Ander was sitting in the middle of the booth so getting out and making it a private call was out of the question. He instantly recognized the number, as well, so ignoring it was too out of the question. “Sorry, guys, I gotta take this one,” Ander said as he answered the call. The crew understood and hushed themselves. Everyone waited and watched as the image of two girls appeared and focused. Ander sighed before speaking. “Hey, girls, what’s up?” Ander asked. They almost seemed flustered with his greeting before they spoke. “What’s up? That’s it? You are the fucking Emperor’s Wrath and you didn’t think to tell us?” Nox said. Ander’s eyes widened. “Wait, Alessin, how did you know tha-”

“So, what, we just happen to walk into the Dark Council chambers to find the door reduced to scrap metal and blood stains everywhere before we lift a saber? What the fuck, dude?”

“Aria! Listen to me!” Ander shouted and the twins went silent. They crossed their arms and sank down onto their knees. They looked like an angry pair of munchkins. “Ok, yes, I am the Emperor’s Wrath, and yes, I’m sorry. I should have told you sooner, but how do you know this and why were you in the Dark Council chambers to begin with?” Ander asked. “Um, that’s easy. We are Dark Council members now- well, Alessin is, but I’m her bodyguard, I go everywhere she goes, so that means I am too.” Aria said. Alessin nodded her head. “Yep, we killed this guy who tried to kill us and now we get his spot.” The girls looked super proud of themselves.

 

Ander rubbed his face with one hand. “So, you are telling me, my twin 15 - about to be 16 - year old sisters are on the Dark Council? Oh my lord…” Ander sighed; he was at a complete loss of how to process such information. “Okay, we will continue this discussion another time… Also, your birthday present is on the way. I know you will love it. Love you girls, buh-bye.” Ander ended the call and returned the holoterminal to its rightful place. “Okay,” Ander looked back at his crew. “Back to the celebration!”

 

\--------------------------------

 

...One drink later and Ander instantly regretted everything. He had pushed his way out of the booth and now was in the restroom, with Quinn, vomiting. Quinn refused to leave him alone, so there they were, huddled in a stall, Ander with his head in the toilet and Quinn standing over him. The Captain wanted to help his lord but as long as he was unable to keep anything down, there was no help to give.

 

A few minutes later, however, Ander’s stomach gave him some much-needed relief and settled down. He spat out the remaining bile in his mouth before lifting his head and resting against the stall door. Quinn tore him a few sheets of toilet paper to wipe his mouth with, before disposing of it in the toilet. He gently inspected Ander and noticed that he was already inebriated. Quinn was surprised and rechecked his findings before asking. “My lord, have you consumed alcohol before today? Ever?” Quinn had to make sure, so he asked in the easiest way possible. Ander shook his head and Quinn wondered why. “I’m actually… not old enough to buy it.” Quinn widened his eyes and checked Ander’s medical records. Right there, next to his picture was his date of birth. _He’s two months older than Heig… He’s turning 19 next week, oh my lord…_ Quinn thought to himself. He just let a minor recklessly and illegally order and consume alcohol, in front of him - in his very presence.

 

He had to make this right. He quickly sent a text to Jaesa to tell her they would not be returning before attending to Ander. “Okay, my lord. Let’s get you back to the ship.” Quinn said, as he slowly helped Ander to his feet. “Are you angry with me?” Ander asked though it sounded more like a sad whine. Quinn’s heart dropped for a moment. “No, my lord. I am not angry. I am simply worried about you. Don’t worry, I will take care of you.” Quinn said, hoping to quell his lord’s fears. Ander hummed quietly. “Okay, thanks…”

 

Quinn helped his lord onto the ship with much struggle. On the way there, Ander’s ability to walk had been reduced to almost nothing, but Quinn was determined to get him back safely. Thus, he threw Ander over his shoulders and carried him back to ship. It probably would have been easier to call for an evac but Quinn was not weak and Ander was his same height and body shape. Though he was about 5 kgs heavier than himself and carrying a heavier version of yourself was not as easy of a task as he had originally thought, but he refused to give up.

 

Making it into Ander’s room was easier than expected, however, and Quinn was finally able to drop Ander onto his bed. Quinn muscled him into a better position before checking his condition once more. It seemed to be pretty good, but Quinn was going to be absolutely sure before he left his lord’s side. He got up from sitting on the side of the bed, only to feel a tug coming from his jacket. He looked down to see his lord had grabbed his jacket, an attempt to keep him there. The action tugged at his heartstrings as well. Quinn placed a hand on his lord’s. “It’s alright, my lord. I will just be left to get you some medicine from the medic bay. I will be right back.” Ander refused to let go, however. “You promise you will be back?” Quinn smiled. “I promise, my lord.” It was endearing but Quinn knew that he was just intoxicated and this wasn’t how he normally was. Finally, Ander let go and Quinn was able to retrieve the medicine.

 

Quinn counted out the correct amount of pills, before handing them to Ander along with a glass of water to help him swallow them. Ander took the pills without much fuss, which Quinn was thankful for. “These will help you sleep, my lord. They should also make it so you won’t throw up any further.” He explained. Ander nodded as he settled into bed, though he wouldn’t be sleeping for a while.

 

“Quinn, I’m sorry I ruined your night…” Quinn looked upon his lord and saw the overwhelming sadness on his face. “You don’t have to stay, you can go back…” Ander said though he wanted just the opposite. “My lord,” Quinn started. “You never ruin my nights. If I have to spend all my free time ensuring your good health, then that would have been the best time of my life.” He meant it too, keeping his lord alive meant that he would be able to spend more time with him and that was the best gift he could ever receive.

 

Ander was too incoherent to hold back his tears. He had no reason to cry, it just seemed right. “I’m so sorry. I’m… so sorry. Please don’t hate me… I-I-” Honestly, he had no idea why or what he was going on about, he really didn’t. Quinn, too, was confused by Ander’s random outburst. He did his best to comfort him.

 

Perhaps the pills were kicking in or he just really needed to get something off his chest, but Ander just kept rambling on about how he didn’t want Quinn to hate him and how he was sorry, but he never elaborated as to why. Quinn had pulled Ander up and into a tight hug as a steady flow of tears streamed down his face. He honestly didn’t have any idea on what to do, until Ander said something different. “I-I like… I like you so much, Quinn. I don’t want you to hate me for it. Please… don’t hate me for liking you…” Ander managed to choke out. Quinn held the Sith closer to his heart. “My lord, I could never hate you.” That one seemed to do the trick. Ander, with the promise of his captain, finally closed his eyes and drifted to sleep. Quinn gently laid him back down and tucked him in. Quietly, he turned off the lights and exited the room. He texted the crew to be quiet upon their return and retired to his bed.

 

Quinn thought long and hard on what his lord said, though he knew better. He was drunk. Confused and tired, his lord was no more coherent than he was half asleep. To take anything he said as fact now would be foolish. _It’s better to hear the truth from him sober._ He thought to himself, before drifting off to sleep.

 

\--------------------------------

 

**Two weeks later, during a routine trip to Vaiken Spacedock for supplies…**

 

Quinn received a text message that threw him off guard. It was a message from his son, Heig, telling him that he had something to tell him, in person. He then received another message telling him to meet at Vaiken Spacedock, with coordinates. Quinn immediately looked to his lord, who was walking beside him. “My lord, a moment if you will,” Quinn said, gracefully. Ander nodded and he continued. “My son has just requested my presence, may I-”

“Go on, Quinn. I will meet you on the ship.” Quinn thanked him and rushed to the designated meeting place.

 

It… was a janitor’s closet? He must have misread the coordinates and went to check them once more when the door opened suddenly and a hand reached out and dragged him into the darkness. Quinn took out his holopad to offer himself some light and standing just inches from him, his son. Quinn quickly hugged the young man, giving him plenty of kisses on the forehead. “Heig. It’s… good to see you.” Quinn said, before landing another kiss on top of his head. Heig had to bend down to allow him to do so, but he didn’t mind. He loved his father and it showed, as he returned his father’s hug.

 

“So, do you want to explain why we are meeting in a closet?” Quinn asked, as he slowly began to release his son. “No security cameras.” An obvious choice for a secret agent; Quinn should have guessed. “But we can turn the lights on,” Heig said as he reached past his father to flick the light switch. The room filled with pure, unfiltered light and Quinn noticed a petite girl, probably around Heig's age, standing behind Heig. “Oh, I didn’t know you brought someone with you. Must be embarrassing to be loved on by your father in front of someone.” Quinn said as he ruffled Heig’s perfectly styled hair. “Dad, please,” Heig begged for his father to stop, as the girl began to giggle. Heig blushed and turned away from her. “Actually I- that’s why I asked to meet you in person. I wanted you to meet her. Dad,” Heig presented the girl to his father. “This is Raina Temple. Raina this is my father, Malavai Quinn.” Raina bowed. “Nice to meet you, sir. Heig has told me a lot about you.” Raina smiled. “Please, the pleasure is mine.” Quinn bowed. Heig moved to her side and took her hand. “And dad, I actually asked her to marry me. I hope that’s okay with you.” Quinn finally took notice of the diamond ring on Raina’s ring finger and was at a loss of words. All he could do was hug his son and soon-to-be daughter-in-law.


	12. Late and Early Birthday Presents

Ander waited patiently in the docking bay where his ship was. He hadn’t been waiting for more than an hour, but he was more than excited when he saw his captain enter the room. Ander immediately ran up to him, eager to reunite with him once more. “Quinn!” Ander called out to him. Quinn looked up towards him and smiled. “How did it go with your son?” Ander asked. Quinn’s smile did not fade as he walked towards his lord. “Good, my lord.” He started. “Actually, he’s asked a girl to marry him.” Quinn’s smile only grew with this thought. Even though he hadn’t seen his son in well over eight months, he wasn’t the least bit shocked or angered to learn his child had found someone to love.

 

“Oh, that’s great! Did you meet her?” Ander knew he shouldn’t have been proding into Quinn’s personal life so deeply, but he couldn’t help it. He wanted to know more. Not like Quinn minded; in fact, he was planning on telling Ander before anyone else. “I did and I see why he chose her. She was very sweet and proper, much like he is. They will make a wonderful couple.” Quinn sighed. Though, he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t a tad bit saddened by this - But, Quinn thought, that was a normal reaction for a father to have. Giving up his one and only child to someone else...

 

Ander grew anxious. Quinn had gone quiet and his smile had left his face. They slowly walked in silence back to the ship until Ander cleared his throat. Quinn immediately stopped and looked at Ander, who gave him a week smile in return. Quinn got the hint and recomposed himself. “I’m sorry, my lord, no need to worry. I was just thinking of lesser things.” Ander was still worried, though his anxiety had managed to calm down. “Are you okay with him getting married at such a young age?” Ander asked. Quinn chuckled softly. “Why yes, of course. It’s not that. I was forced into an arranged marriage when I was his age. If anything, I am more than pleased to learn that he has found his eternal happiness before I could. I just…” Quinn paused to clear his throat. “I was thinking that now I will get even less time to see him, let alone talk with him.” His smile returned to his face, though it contained a small amount of sadness within it. He was being selfish, he knew that.

 

Ander rested a hand on Quinn’s shoulder. “I think that’s pretty normal, Quinn. I mean, perhaps I’m not the best person to give this kind of advice but…” Ander paused, as he removed his hand from Quinn’s shoulder. “Isn’t that the whole point of loving someone? Caring for them, being there for them, and then letting them go… And missing them when they aren’t there?” Ander asked. Though, he knew the answer and so did Quinn, as was evident from the smile they both shared. Quinn nodded and followed his lord onto the ship.

 

Ander was already in a good mood when he got onto his ship, but it only got better when he saw a large box waiting for him in the main room. It had a note attached to it that read: Happy Belated Birthday, Ander!

 

Of course, he knew who it was from. Ander’s sisters were absolutely horrible with birthdays. They were either late to the party, by a couple of weeks, or delivered the present three months in advance. However, when it came to their own birthday, well, they never missed it. Ander didn’t mind, though. His sisters were always thoughtful with their gifts and always put a lot of effort into finding the perfect present for him.

 

Ander gently lifted the top off of the box, though he wasn’t really sure why until he heard a quiet snort coming from the container. A wide smile appeared as he opened the smaller container in the box. A brown, round creature popped its head out of the opening before looking up at Ander with a snort. Ander picked the small creature out of the box and held it in his arms. He hadn’t noticed until its ears perked up, but it had long slender ears that seemed to mimic its curiosity. Gently, Ander pet its head and it seemed to like that, as it stuck its tongue out and snorted multiple times.

 

Quinn was behind him the whole time and was equally curious by the creature. Ander showed it to him and at first, he wasn’t sure of whether he liked it or not, but when it seemed to vibrate with excitement at the prospect of meeting him, he immediately warmed up to it. In truth, the small creature reminded him of Ander. What was not to love of the little… guy? Quinn pondered the question and decided it was best to ask. “My lord…” Ander looked up. “Is it a male or a female?” Ander almost dropped the pup as he, too, realized he had no idea.

 

The pup’s frantic grunts and alarmed snorts, caused Ander to readjust and hold the pup properly again. “Perhaps I should call my sisters,” Ander said, walking over to the holoterminal. The crew finally managed to wander into the room and notice the new addition to the ship. The pup did it’s best to turn its head and inspect the new individuals, but Ander’s grip on it didn’t offer it much freedom. It gave up just before the call was answered by the twins themselves.

 

The pup perked its ears up, once more, as the girls’ visage appeared on the holoterminal. The girls also noticed the pup in Ander’s arms and a bright smile painted their faces. “Brother, it’s good to see you.” They said in unison. A shiver ran down Ander’s spine and a scowl appeared on his face. “I thought I told you girls that it was creepy when you do that? Stop.” The girls laughed. “Do you like him?” They asked.

 

“Yeah, I do. He’s really cute. What is he, though? I haven’t encountered anything like him…” Ander trailed off to love on the pup in his arms. The pup snorted back at Ander’s coos and licked his nose. “The guy, who sold him to us, called him a Grophet,” Aria said. “My pilot, Andronikos, told us of this beautiful planet that was also a pirate-infested shit hole.” Alessin took a second to laugh before continuing. “When we went there, there was a guy selling these ugly runts-” Aria elbowed her sister. “Alessin, that’s rude. Ander doesn’t think he’s ugly.” Aria growled. “Basically, big brother, we saw him mixed in with the bunch and thought you would like him,” Aria explained. “What are you going to name him?” Alessin asked.

 

Ander pondered for a moment, continuing to pet the grophet in his arms. The pup snorted and licked his fingers, perfectly happy with his new owner. “Grophl. It almost sounds like the noises he makes. It’s cute, like him.” Ander said. “What did you girls name the tuk’ata I got you?”

“Mr. Toothy. He likes it, I think…” A yelp could be heard from behind the girls, followed by several people all yelling for “Mr. Toothy” to stop. The girls ignored the alarmed yells and just waited until the noise stopped. “Is… everything ok?” Ander asked. “Yeah, he just stole Ashara’s lightsaber again and tried to eat it. Andronikos managed to wrestle it away from him and he didn’t find that fun, so he’s resting on his bed in our room now.” Alessin said.

 

“Wow. All these names, it almost sounds like you have a whole crew-”

“Oooo!” Aria piped up. “We should have a get together sometime!” Once she said that Alessin was on board too. Ander was hesitant, as he knew his sisters were Dark Side and knew they had developed their red eyes at an early age. “On one condition.” The girls regained their composure, surprised by Ander’s shift in tone. “No red eyes. I have someone on my crew who has issues with Dark Side traits and I want everyone to be as comfortable as possible.” The girls blinked multiple times before nodding. “We understand, big brother. We promise, no red eyes.” Ander smiled, as did his sisters, and made plans for a future get together.

 

\-----------------------------

 

Later that day, Quinn sat in the conference room with his holopad in hand. He quietly sighed as he found the perfect gift for his son, but his enthusiasm left him when he checked his bank account and found he had been reckless with his money. A week ago, he had spent his own personal money to give Ander a special gift. A trip to a high-class spa on Manaan. Ander appreciated it and invited Quinn to come with him, which Ander had paid for himself.

 

Quinn sighed louder than he anticipated and before he could react, Ander walked into the room and right up to him. “Everything okay, Quinn?” He asked. Quinn nodded, but Ander could see that was a fib. Ander leaned down and inspected the holopad. He noticed that two tabs were open, before looking back at his captain. The man looked exhausted. Ander frowned and pulled out his own holopad.

 

A notification popped up on Quinn’s screen. When he checked it, he found that a large sum of credits had been deposited into his account. He immediately shot his gaze up to his lord, who just smiled at him. “My lord… You didn’t-” Quinn tried to be humble but Ander cut him off. “As thanks for being a great friend. I’m giving you a bonus and an early paycheck.” He said. Quinn checked his holopad once more, before noticing something different about this paycheck. “My lord? Why is the amount so large? I know you said a bonus, but this is easily quadruple what you normally pay me…” Quinn asked. “Since I’m now the Emperor’s Wrath. The government is paying me to help the Empire win the war against the Republic. Apparently, they have enough money to pay me 500,000 credits every week. It’s kind of ridiculous, but I’m gonna raise your pay with it.” Ander said, smiling. “Thank you,” Quinn said quietly, as he ordered the sniper rifle for his son. “No problem, Quinn.”


	13. A Change of Place

Now that Baras was long gone, taken to the outer rim of the galaxy, there wasn’t much work that needed to be done. Sure, Ander and his crew could accept odd jobs from the military or whoever, but the rewards weren’t really worth the time and effort they had to put in for it. Even the Dark Council refused the give Ander work, explaining that while they did recognize him as the Emperor’s Wrath, it was also that exact reason why they did not wish to trouble him. The Council feared that should they ask Ander to help them with anything, he would not be readily available to their Emperor - despite his absence. Furthermore, Ander technically being a rank above the entirety of the Dark Council, they held no right to order him to do anything, despite him telling them it was fine. They simply would not risk it.

 

Thus, Ander had to find some other way to occupy his time. Then, in a split second, Ander remembered that the mayor of Kaas City had gifted him an apartment just days after his status had gone public. That was weeks ago, but in those weeks, Ander had gone on a shopping spree to get the building filled with furniture, decorations, and so on. He had also asked the city to make some changes to the apartment, which required construction, and they happily complied. Ander had done all the shopping and decorating online through one of those specialized sites - the one that sells the products and installs them without you having to leave your seat, and so on.

 

It was a nice time consumer back then, but now it may have been a good money saver. With the government’s paycheck being Ander’s only source of income, now, living on a spaceship and having to pay four crew members weekly was getting costly. The Fury’s fuel tank was hardly ever full, forcing them to constantly go planetside for fill-ups. The parking fee was always comped, because it was a Sith owned ship, but because of that, the ship required the expensive fuel. _As if there was really a difference between Sith owned ships and other non-Sith owned ships._ Ander thought.

 

Still, things needed to change. Living paycheck to paycheck wasn’t exactly how Ander wanted his life to be and this was starting to stress him out. Ander pulled up the security cameras from his holopad and looked at the state of his apartment. The mayor had promised to be quick with the construction and it looked like he had pulled through on it. Not only that, but the moving company had finished decorating, per Ander’s instruction and guidance, and installing the appliances. The apartment was more than ready to move into.

 

Exiting the security program, Ander saw he had an unread message from the mayor himself, though he didn’t know his name and honestly felt pretty bad for it, but the message told him that the mortgage for the apartment had been fully comped by the city and all utility bills would be paid for as well. Ander shot him a quick thank you message but the message didn’t go through, instead another message replacing it telling Ander that it was a no-reply number. _Of course,_ he thought, _why would the mayor personally send him a message when a droid could do it for him._ Even though he was annoyed by this, Ander still appreciated to even be notified that he didn’t have to pay for anything.

 

Now knowing that his apartment was in tip-top shape, Ander proposed an idea to his crew. The crew gathered around and listened intently.

 

“So, I’m sure you all know, but the reason why we are always stopping for fuel is because I can only pay for a quarter of a tank at a time since I only have the government’s paycheck to rely on.” They silently nodded, knowing full well how much of Ander’s income relied on doing planet-wide quests given to him by both Baras and One. Ander continued. “Well, I have a possible solution to all this. The plan is, I rent a private hangar on Dromund Kaas and we remain planetside for the majority of our time. Now, we, as a crew and team, don’t have to stay together, if you wish you may reinstate yourselves wherever you please but if you want to, you are more than welcome to stay with me at my city apartment. Which, by the way, has three bedrooms and three bathrooms.” Ander had to make that last point since most city apartments were cramped and almost impossible for even one person to live in. This was mostly the case because of Kaas City’s rapidly growing population and not-so rapidly growing city.

 

Regardless, that seemed to be the trick, as Quinn, Vette, and Jaesa were more than willing to accept his invitation. Pierce, on the other hand, had seen his chance to get as far away from Ander as possible. After Ander had threatened him, being alone with the Sith was not an option. As soon as he was able, Pierce filled out a transfer form and showed it to Quinn, as was one of the requirements to hand it into your commanding officer. As Ander made **very** clear, Quinn was his commanding officer, thus Pierce stood in front of the smaller man, waiting for him to just sign the damn thing.

 

At first, Quinn was surprised that Pierce had even bothered with the form, scanning over the document, he noticed that everything was meticulously filled in. At the bottom of the form, per usual, was a line for the commanding officer to sign only after hearing the _verbal_ reason as to why the transfer was being requested. Pierce knew that, of course, but he couldn’t tell Quinn he only wanted to leave because he didn’t feel comfortable being in the same room with a Sith. Only he and every other soldier in the military felt that way, it wasn’t enough to warrant an official transfer. Quinn removed his gaze from the form and back up to Pierce. “Your reason for transfer?” He asked simply. Pierce didn’t falter in delivering his reason, he had to convince the hawk-eyed officer. “Permission to speak freely, sir.”

“Granted.” Quinn was quick, thank goodness because being so polite and proper made Pierce gag. “We aren’t doing anything out here. Our commander said it himself, and now he wants us to remain planetside to save money. I can’t sit around on my ass and do nothing while our brothers and sisters are out there fighting for us. I’m sorry, sir, but I would be far more useful out on active duty and I would feel better too.” Pierce said. Quinn didn’t respond, simply signing his name on the form and returning it to Pierce. Pierce was incredibly thankful, for once in his life, and saluted the man before him, who naturally saluted him as a farewell.

 

\--------------

 

Once they had landed on Dromund Kaas, Pierce had separated from the group, taking the first shuttle to anywhere else. Ander was surprised, at first, but didn’t really care. He was more than happy to let Pierce go.

 

Turning to his remaining friends, Ander told them not to worry about most of their stuff, as the only important things to bring with them would be clothes and such. The rest of the ship’s cargo would be transported to the apartment at a later date. Grophl, however, would be coming with them right now, as he was a living creature. Grophl perked his head up at the sound of his name, to which Ander replied, “Yes, you.”

 

Thus, the crew gathered their things into duffle bags and Ander put Grophl into an animal carrier. They loaded the taxi and relaxed as the automated vehicle made its way to the city. Sadly, the taxi was too large to fit through the garage door - since they had to order a larger one to fit all their stuff - so the taxi dropped them off in front of the elevator to the building. Ander pulled out his holopad and scanned it against the elevator interface, unlocking it for them to use. He set a reminder to have key cards made for himself and his friends.

 

Arriving at the top floor, the elevator doors opened to a fairly large room. There were three floor-to-ceiling windows on the south most wall, presenting an aerial view of the market next door and a glimpse of the Imperial Citadel. The view was nothing to scoff at, but there were other things to see in this room. The first of which, being the mailbox right next to the elevator. It was essential in the fact that anyone could log in to it and if anyone wanted to send or receive packages, they would just have to order it on the terminal and leave it by the door. On the northern wall, a holoterminal jutted out from the wall. It wasn’t nearly as large as the ship’s was, but the perk being that it could wirelessly connect to any personal holoterminal, offering more space for group calls. The wall opposite from it housed a wall mounted Galactic Trade Network kiosk. It seemed a little pointless as there was one right next door, that was larger, but the convenience was a nice bonus. In order to make the room seem less empty, Ander had ordered a few more items. This included a couch, two plush armchairs, a coffee table, and a nice red rug, to tie to altogether.

 

The space looked good, sure, but first things were first. “Okay, let’s leave our bags here. 2V-R8 will be here shortly to take them upstairs to your rooms. I already told him which rooms belonged to which people because that’s how I decorated them. In the meantime, let me give you guys a tour.” Ander said, leading them out the hallway and making an immediate right into another, equally large room. This one was the kitchen and dining room. In the north-eastern corner of the room was the kitchen space with its dark countertops and top-of-the-line appliances. Ander made his way over to the fridge and opened it to reveal a fully stocked fridge with fresh ingredients. “I may have also ordered someone to come stock the fridge just before we landed.” He said.

 

The southern half of the room held a six-chair dining set with a royal Imperial rug underneath and an upscale chandelier above. The north-western corner of the room, however, was Grophl’s food and water bowl as well as a little play area. He would, no doubt, soon have a lot of _little_ play areas all over the place.

 

The rest of the tour goes over smoothly. The major points being: Ander’s room, where everyone was free to enter as long as they knocked first; the garage, where there’s a terminal to order a taxi; the covered patio on the second floor, that had a hot tub and places for Grophl to use the toilet; and the guest bedrooms, where Quinn would have his own room and bathroom while the girls had to share. Vette and Jaesa hardly mined as they enjoyed each other's company and sharing a room was hardly a problem.

 

As Quinn entered to inspect his room; he first noticed that his stuff had already been brought up and secondly, a small grophet, by the name of Grophl, had snuck in and made himself comfortable in his bed.

 

Ander looked down and realized that Grophl was gone. He instantly checked Quinn’s room and there he was, in his bed, acting as though it was fine. “Grophl, down! Bad boy!” Ander ordered and Grophl dropped his ears back. The grophet whimpered in fear, hoping his master would let him off the hook. Ander began to raise a finger at the pup before Quinn stopped him. “It’s alright, my lord. He isn’t bothering me.” Ander looked questionably down at him, before sighing in defeat. Grophl’s ears immediately shot back up and he began to rapidly bounce as Quinn sat beside him. The pup cuddled against Quinn’s leg, perfectly happy to share a bed with him. Ander gave the pup a death stare. _You lucky bastard._ He thought to himself, before leaving the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The changes I made to the Kaas apartment were much needed ones. The covered patio being one of my biggest questions because having this balcony type thing on a rainy/stormy planet just means you can't use it for anything except maybe a lightning rod. The bathroom situations was just a "Oh, because you're a video game means you can't have a place to shit? Nice job guys." Finally, the kitchen. Why isn't there a kitchen on board the Fury? What do they eat? Do they eat? Is that why there are no bathrooms?


	14. Going Through the Motions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, yes, I do get a little head-cannony with this one but it literally has no affect on the story and just gives Ander and Quinn a reason to bond. Don't you want them to be happy? Also, I plan on writing the rest of it from Quinn's PoV until he reunites with Ander after 7 years. I mean it will switch back to Ander for Marr's ship but as soon as the Fury is gone, Ander will be too.
> 
> Hope that's okay. I mean they will get a chance to catch up so a lot of blanks will be filled in. I find this to be a whole lot more interesting than a story we have all heard 100 or more times.

A month into Ander and crew’s new living situation and all seemed to be going well. Things weren’t too different to life on the ship. 2V-R8 took care of the cooking, cleaning, and laundry. Vette would mostly play games on her holopad or video chat with her sister until someone asked something of her. Jaesa would train with Ander in the morning, after breakfast, and then join Vette in playing games in the evening before bed. While, Quinn would monitor everyone’s physical activity, daily nutrient intake, and overall health.

 

Though there was something different about Ander, at least Quinn thought so. When he asked Jaesa and Vette, they just made it seem like it was no big deal. Almost like they failed to notice anything was different or, fail of a better word, strange. Quinn noticed though. After dinner, Ander would retire to his room for the remainder of the day. Normally, Quinn would tell himself it wasn’t any of his business or his lord was just tired - but it had been a month of easy living, he had no reason to be exhausted. Quinn knew this personally because he made regular checkups and concluded his lord was in better than average health.

 

Still, though, his thoughts were filled with nothing but worry for his lord. It seemed like these days, Quinn was starting to worry for no reason. His lord was in good health, he already knew that, but every time Ander left his field of vision, the most horrible thoughts and theories arose in his mind.

 

The process drove him insane. So, Quinn did his best to distract himself in any way he could. That was, until, an energetic Grophl ran into his room. The grophet didn’t bother him, in fact, he brought a lot of joy to the crew’s daily life, his included.

 

On many an occasion, Grophl would run into his room, run around a bit, then leave and go onto the next room. This time, however, he did not leave. Grophel ran in between Quinn’s legs, which he never had done before, frantically grunting and whimpering. Something was… off. Quinn stood up from his desk and looked down at the grophet, who ran to his door and turned back to look at him.

 

This was all very strange to Quinn, he had never seen Grophl act in such a way and it only made him start to worry. Was he to follow the pup? Grophl sure made it seem that way, so Quinn decided to humor him and follow him. It seemed innocent enough until he led him straight to Ander’s bedroom door. Grophl waited by the door, continuing to whimper as Quinn hesitated. He should really have knocked first, but Grophl’s behavior made him uneasy and thus, he entered Ander’s room without much warning.

 

Inside, he saw his lord on the ground, laying on his side and weeping into a pillow. He looked so vulnerable, so defeated, as he only tightened his grip on the pillow in his arms, not even aware that Quinn had come in. He was shocked to see him in such a state. Quinn lowered himself to kneel beside Ander’s head. He gently ran his hand through Ander’s hair. Ander perked his head up, finally realizing Quinn’s presence if only to relax into Quinn’s touch.

 

“Quinn? Why-” Ander began to ask why he was in his room until Grophl wiggled his way in between the pillow and himself. Eventually, Ander let go of the pillow and opted to cuddle the grophet instead. “Oh, ok.” Ander sighed, nuzzling his nose into Grophl’s short fur. “My lord, what’s wrong?” Quinn asked, continuing to run his fingers along Ander’s scalp, a soothing action proven to decrease stress.

 

“It’s…” Ander drew in a struggled breath, riddled with sadness. “Just one of those days…”

“Depression, my lord?” Ander nodded. “There’s nothing you can do, though. My dad tried to get me medicated when I was thirteen… It only made it worse.” That sounded odd to Quinn, but he ignored it. “Trauma, my lord?”

“Dad always said it was, but I don’t remember.”

“How can I help?” Quinn asked, still trying to soothe his lord. Ander sighed. “Just… give me a few minutes. I just need time.” It sounded more like a plea, than anything else. “Then I’ll be by your side until you feel better.”

“Quinn, you don’t have to…”

“Nonsense, my lord. It would be my pleasure.”

 

A moment passed before Ander sighed again, this one less strained than previous ones. Quinn glanced down to his lord. His tears had dried, a good sign, but then he did something Quinn didn’t expect.

 

_“When the light is running low and the shadows start to grow.”_

_“And the places that you know seem like fantasy…”_

_“There’s a light inside your soul that’s shining in the cold,”_

_“With the truth, the promise in our hearts…”_

 

_“Don’t forget,”_

_“I’m with you in the dark…”_

 

Quinn was shocked, in a good way. His voice was so smooth and soft, it warmed Quinn’s heart to hear such a thing. Surely, his lord had to be feeling better to produce something so beautiful, but looking down at his lord rewarded him with no such happiness. Though, following his eyesight, Quinn noticed a strange machine in the corner of the room.

 

The machine was fairly large, though quite dull to look at despite the large monitor built into it and the rows of lights underneath the keypad. Next to the machine was a rack with several smaller devices on it, all of them had wires coming out of the back and connected into the back of the machine. Quinn noticed that the one light that was on the machine turned off, as well as a subsequent device. The next light in the row turned on and thus so did the respective device attached to it, or so Quinn assumed.

 

“My lord?” Quinn asked. Ander knew that he was curious and decided he might as well explain himself. “They’re ancient entertainment systems. Human-made. They’re so old that they need to be run once every three days to remain functional.” He said. “Then this machine does it all automatically? Why do you have them, if you don’t mind me asking?” Ander shook his head, he actually wanted Quinn to ask if only to feel like he actually cared. “They were my dad’s. He kept them in a private storage facility. I always knew about it, since he basically said it was going to be mine anyway, but I couldn’t get it myself… So I had One get them for me. I wanted to pick up where he left off, but now…” Quinn had a sinking feeling in his gut as when Ander ever spoke of his father, it was always in the past tense. He had a feeling this was done on purpose, to avoid revealing that he may have passed. Quinn hoped it wasn’t as such, but couldn’t deny that it would explain a lot of Ander’s past behaviors and choices.

 

Though, it was best not to dwell on such a topic for long. Ander had already shown signs that the mere mention of his father had begun to upset him. Quinn didn’t want him to cry anymore; he absolutely couldn’t - wouldn’t let that happen. “What was he doing?” He asked. Ander looked surprised at first, he honestly thought that the conversation was over but took a minute before replying.

 

“A long time ago, in a galaxy far away, humans left their home planet in the hope of exploring the stars. Their leaders decided it would be best if a select few families would dedicate their bloodlines to _‘Record, Remember, and Preserve’_ all of human history from the past, present, and future. They named themselves _The Historians_.”

“I’ve never heard of such a thing…”

“I’m guessing they weren’t well liked since their audio logs often remarked about having to isolate themselves and such. Though, one audio log mentioned how after reaching our galaxy, an overwhelming majority of humans had decided to abandon their history and culture and start again… Well, my ancestors weren’t exactly pleased with that decision and did their best to save whatever they could and keep it to themselves.” Ander paused, he knew how all this information must have sounded like. “I-um. I have the audio logs if you don’t believe me…” Ander said. “Why would I not believe you, my lord?” The question surprised Ander and he didn’t really know how to respond to it if he should at all. Quinn smiled, he somewhat liked the confused look Ander had on his face. _Sometimes, he can be so damn cute._ Though Quinn made short work of brushing that thought aside. “Let me explain,” Quinn started. “You have never lied to me before and to lie about something that you have such a personal connection to, just doesn’t match with your personality. I do believe you, my lord.” He said. Ander’s eyes lit up and his frown started to dissipate.

 

An idea came to Ander’s mind that seemed scary at first, but he went for it. “Do you want to see the inside of the computer?” Ander pointed to the machine. “It’s really cool.” He made a nervous smile, not sure if his idea was worth the possible embarrassment. Though Quinn was more than accepting of his invitation, as he stood up and offered Ander a hand. They both smiled, though neither knew it was for the same reason.

 

Ander accepted the help and went over to the machine and removed one of the bottom panels. It was large enough that one could stick their head into. Ander then went to his desk and picked up a small flashlight and handed it to Quinn.

 

Quinn knelt down and turned on the flashlight and peered into the hole. Right beneath the opening were two nuclear diamond batteries, a rare sight to behold as the technology had gone out of style a while ago. So finding one, alone, was near impossible, but to see two in one machine was something of a myth. Moving the light upwards, he saw a monster of a motherboard. It seemed to be constructed by fusing four other boards together. The entire thing looked to be homemade, though that was just Quinn’s assessment.

 

At the center of the motherboard, where the four boards met, was an absolutely massive chip. It was the Central Processing Unit, or CPU. It also seemed to be heavily modified from its original state, as there was a _240_ written on it in black ink on its face.

 

Quinn had to readjust to look up into the rest of the machine, as there was still a lot more to see. Above him, he could see about a hundred or so storage drives though there could have easily been more.

 

Removing himself from the machine cavity, Quinn stood up and helped put the panel back in place. Then, he turned back to his lord. “If you don’t mind me asking, what is in those storage drives?” Quinn asked. Ander smiled, if only a little bit, before turning on the monitor and typing in a couple of commands. Quinn returned the flashlight to Ander’s desk while he waited.

 

“Ok, so there are… approximately one hundred and six zettabytes of music, video, text and graphics files. As well as four hundred and four zettabytes of executable programs and their respective resource folders.” Quinn was shocked at the numbers alone - though, of course, the numbers were possible but to have them all stored in a machine of this size was unheard of. No doubt this entire machine was specially made just to store all of it.

 

Then, Quinn turned to look at his lord once more. His eyes seemed brighter, his cheeks were completely dried, and the smile from his face hadn’t yet faded. He looked happy, again, like he should be. He couldn’t stop himself from smiling. The time he had spent with his lord was actually kind of _fun_.

 

“My lord,” Ander looked back at Quinn again. “I really enjoyed this time with you. Would it be alright if we spent more time together?” Quinn asked. Ander slightly blushed at the suggestion. “Really? I didn’t actually think that you would enjoy this kind of stuff. You never seemed interested in relics of the past before…” Ander said, trying to hide the rise of color in his face. “Well, normally, yes, but this… well,” Quinn cleared his throat. “You took such great care of it and actually gave me the honor of learning about it, I… I wanted to help. If that’s alright-”

“Yeah, actually, that sounds pretty great.”

“Then, would you like to meet again tomorrow, after dinner, my lord?” Quinn asked, trying his hardest to hide his own obvious blush. Ander nodded and waited until Quinn left the room to flop down onto his bed. He gently grabbed the grophet that had been there since the tech talk began, squeezing his little fat body. Grophl turned his body around, clearly not bothered by the squeezes, and looked at Ander with a look that asked: _“Aren’t you happy I went and got him?”_ To which Ander replied. “Yes, yes. You are the best grophet ever.” Grophl wagged his tiny tail in response and proceeded to smother Ander with wet kisses.

 

\---------------------

 

Quinn returned to his room as quickly as he could, without looking too desperate. Safely inside his own room, Quinn locked the door and kicked off his boots, before laying down on his bed. He then began to wonder why he sounded so awkward just then. _You gave me the honor?! What kind of crap was that?_ Quinn cursed himself. He had never felt that way before; he had never been awkward around his lord before, so why now?

 

Quinn was beside himself, he couldn’t believe how he had just acted. Leaving the room on an awkward note, practically running to his room, locking the door in fear that someone would see him in such a state - though that one was completely justified. If Vette found out she would no doubt joke about it for years to come… Still, it almost felt like Quinn was actually in love with Ander or something-

 

Wait. Was he? Has he never been in love before? How did he not notice sooner? _I mean, that would explain a lot._ Quinn thought to himself. The thought made his heart flutter a bit until fear took over. What if Ander didn’t swing that way? What if he was just a perverted old man pining for a strapping young man? The age gap alone would be a deal breaker for most people…

  
Then a rumbling sadness set inside his heart. _No, none of that matters._ Quinn thought. _I already asked him to spend time with me, to which he agreed. I will not go back on that plan._ Regardless of his feelings for his lord and their personal relationship, he was going to meet his lord tomorrow. He never wanted to see his lord sad again. If he had to, _he_ was going to make him happy.


	15. The 'Date'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so originally this was over 19 pages on wide ruled paper. I shortened it down to 5 pages on Google docs. I just got tired guys, I'm sorry. I was working on this for a solid 8 hours straight. I may go back over it another day and add some stuff as well as make revisions, but it will have to be later.
> 
> *Edit: I did it! I revised it! It added on 3 pages to Google Docs for a total of 8 pages! OMG! Seriously though, I think that's the longest chapter to date! Woot! I did it!
> 
> On a side note, I said the rest would be in Quinn's PoV? I lied, but not really. I still want it to mostly be in Quinn's PoV its just hard to ignore Ander cause he's still here. I love my Sith Warrior, he is my baby.

Ander slowly began to open his eyes, as the smell of hot food and the sound of grease bubbling and popping filled his room. He turned his head, ever so slightly, and checked the time on the clock on his bedside table. It was about half-past six and for a moment, he wondered why he never slept in but as the memories of the night before began to flood in, he came to the conclusion that he would probably just make Quinn worry.

 

Ander sighed, though his cheeks blushed. Quinn had always been so caring and thoughtful, but to stay with him while in such a pathetic state, just seemed like above and beyond for him. It almost made Ander think he actually had a chance with the officer. Though, as he knew far too well, he was only kidding himself. The thought was depressing, but he shoved through the sludge of his emotions and made his way to the bathroom.

 

Ander went through his morning routine, which helped his emotional state quite a bit, and finally got dressed. He made his way to the kitchen, still very much half asleep, and noticed that Grophl had been served his food and was eagerly stuffing it down. He then looked to the stove, fully expecting to see 2V-R8 making breakfast, but instead made a double take. Before his brain could fully process anything, he felt someone pushing on his back.

 

Ander stumbled into the room, as Vette and Jaesa squeezed past him, before sitting at the table. Vette, still half asleep, looked up at Ander then towards the stove. In an instant, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. “Quinn?!” She yelled. Though, Quinn ignored her and finished plating the food.

 

Gathering all four plates on his arms and hands, like some kind of professional waiter, Quinn placed them in front of each person’s respective spot. During the commotion, Ander had already taken his seat, though he didn’t make a sound, he was just as surprised as Vette was. Quinn then retrieved the drink tray with everyone’s drinks on it and passed them out, before sitting down at the table as well.

 

Vette wasted no time in fulfilling her curiosity. “So, Quinn, I didn’t know you could cook? Where is this coming from all of a sudden?” She asked, taking a bite of her food a moment later. Quinn took a sip of his water before answering her. “People tend to be more relaxed and talk more when one of their housemates cook for them, rather than letting a droid do all the meal preparations.” He said simply. Vette looked like she was confused by his answer, so he elaborated. “Think of it as a trust building exercise. We don’t talk nearly as much as we used to and it’s hurting our relationship, as a crew, and our mental health. This will also, hopefully, convince us to tell each other when we need _help_.”

 

Ander almost choked on his drink when he heard that last bit. Was Quinn doing all this for him? No, that couldn’t be it. Ander ignored his hopeful thoughts and refocused on the conversation. Vette looked almost shocked that Quinn was so thoughtful. _Of course he’s thoughtful._ Ander seemed annoyed but said nothing.

 

Jaesa just sat silently, eating her plate of food and being overall pleased with it. She wiped her mouth, before speaking. “Captain,” Quinn looked to her, giving her his full attention. “Where did you learn to cook? This is very good and thank you for making it for us.” Jaesa was always so polite; her time as a servant girl often shown through during times like these.

 

“Your welcome, Ms. Willsaam, and I had to learn how to cook when I was caring for my son.”

“Your wife didn’t cook?” Vette asked. Quinn shook his head. “No, unfortunately, my wife was killed in a Sith power demonstration when Heig was three.” Vette went silent, assuming that she had crossed a line she shouldn’t have. Quinn noticed the uneasiness of the room and decided to clarify.

 

“I’m sorry for making you all uncomfortable, but I must ensure you that I didn’t marry her for love. She was genetically enhanced, devoid of any kind of emotion. She was more like a long-term surrogate. When I was informed of her death, I wasn’t upset for her but for Heig. I was more worried about his upbringing.” Quinn chuckled a bit. “Though, I really shouldn’t have been, but I can assure you, I didn’t raise him on army rations. No, he would have rather starved. So, of course, I had to learn how to cook for him.” Everyone seemed to relax at the mention of the silly memory.

 

“But, what about your parents, Captain? Were they alive when this happened? Did they offer to help?” Jaesa asked. Quinn wanted to scoff at the mention of his parents, but refrained. “My parents are happily retired just a few blocks away from us, but I was not going to let them within a hundred yards of Heig. Don’t get me wrong, my parents weren’t bad parents but they were hardly considered to be loving. I didn’t want that for Heig. I love him and I wanted him to know that…” Quinn sighed. “So, I raised him on my own.”

 

“Wait, you raised him on battleships and the front line? Or did you have someplace to stay?” Vette asked, and it was quite obvious that she had no idea how the military worked, though Quinn wasn’t going to fault her for that. “No. No, when the military learns that one of its soldiers has to raise children on their own, they often send them to live and work on a military base. They provide homes for their families, education for the children, as well as jobs for those children or sometimes, if their scores are high enough, scholarships or even direct employment into the army or Imperial Intelligence.”

 

“So, that’s how your son became an agent?” Ander asked, completely interested by the conversation. Quinn, filled with pride for his son’s achievements, couldn’t help but go on a ‘rant’. He told them all about Heig’s grades, how he taught him everything, and how he achieved everything he couldn’t.

 

The conversation changed multiple times before finally landing on something different. Jaesa casually started the topic. “So, Captain, speaking of trust building exercises…” Her suggestion almost sounded diabolical and Ander made sure to Force whisper her. _Jaesa? What are you doing?_ He asked. _Please, Master. I’m doing this for you. Just back me up on it._ She replied.

She continued. “You said you didn’t love your wife, does that mean you aren’t into women?” She asked. Quinn was slightly confused on how that translated to a trust exercise but decided to humor her. “Just because I didn’t love her doesn’t mean I don’t like women,” _Oh…_ Ander thought. “But,” _But?_ Ander and Jaesa both found that to reignite their interest. “Recently, I can’t say I’m straight either, or strictly so. I suppose it would depend on the person.”

“So, you’re a closeted bisexual? Good to know.” Vette teased. Ander was about ready to yell at her when he heard Quinn chuckle. Quinn had learned over time not to take anything Vette said, seriously. “I’m guessing you’re projecting, dear Vette?” Vette blushed but laughed it off.

 

The crew finished their breakfast with lots of laughs and engagement. It seemed what Quinn had said was right, talking was doing them a lot of good. Everything seemed pretty peaceful, until all of them had heard the sound of fabric ripping and tearing behind them. They all turned to see Grophl with a death grip on his toy’s neck, shaking his head back and forth as stuffing flew out of the hole in its neck.

 

In just a few moments, the entire room was covered in white fluff. Quinn took that as a sign to clean off the table and began to wash the dishes. Vette looked to Ander, worried that her precious Mr. Wiggles may have been caught in the crossfire. “Don’t worry, Vette. I’m sure he’s fine but I’ll go check.” As soon as Ander stood up, he noticed that there was a trail of fluff leading to his bed room. Worried about what his pet may have gotten into, Ander rushed to his room.

 

He sighed a breath of relief when he noticed it was just Grophl’s toys and bed that had been destroyed and nothing major. He also didn’t find Vette’s plush nerf in the wreckage, so that was good, but he did notice that Grophl had also gotten his jaws on his collar, which he found pieces of. Ander wanted to cry, since it would probably take a while to clean all this up and he would have to physically walk to the pet store with Grophl in tow. Since this was, no doubt, retaliation for buying him stuff without his input. Almost like a parent buying clothing for their child that wasn’t in their stylish preference.

 

Ander returned to the kitchen and informed Vette that her plush was safe and to Jaesa that training was canceled until tomorrow. Jaesa volunteered to clean up the mess, claiming that she would rather do something with her time. Ander agreed and told everyone that he would be taking Grophl to the pet store, to which Quinn volunteered to come with. Ander thought it was the best idea ever, but Grophl was the one to show his affection for the man. Rubbing his face against Quinn’s leg in full view of Ander, though this time, he tried to ignore the obvious flaunting.

 

\--------------------------

 

Quinn, Ander, and Grophl all got to the pet store without much trouble and Grophl immediately had a look around. Ander didn’t mind this, as Grophl was immensely intelligent for such a small creature. He was sure he wasn’t going to get in much trouble. Quinn, however, knew that: the smarter they are, the more trouble they will get into. He kept one eye on the grophet as he made his way over to the treat counter.

 

The cases of dried treats were left open so owners could let their pets try the treats, so long as they paid for each treat eaten. The individuals were cheap, which made sense for samples. Grophl didn’t know this, he was just a little pup with a sweet tooth. He moved closer to one of the open cases, his mouth open and ready to sneak a snack.

 

“Grophl…” The grophet shut his mouth, as a sense of looming doom came over him and turned around. He looked up at Quinn, who looked very disappointed in his actions. Grophl’s ears folded back, laying flat against his back. Quinn knelt down, so he could get down to Grophl’s eyesight

 

“Did we say you could have a treat?” Quinn asked, though it sounded like he was talking to a child. “We have to pay for those. If you took one, we could get in trouble, you wouldn’t want that would you?” Grophl sniffled for a bit before the most heart breaking sound emitted from him, which almost sounded like a _no..._

 

Ander and Quinn, both, heard it clear as day. “Aww, okay buddy.” Ander started. “If you’re good by the time we get to the check out, I will get you a bag of treats.” He said. Grophl’s ears rose once more and from then on, he was on his best behavior.

 

During their time at the pet store they managed to acquire: a new emerald green harness, a bunch of squeaky and non-plush toys, and a new pet bed that was far too large for the grophet. They all returned to the apartment just in time before it began to rain. Ander unloaded the pet bed and looked to Quinn for help. “Where do you think we should put this?” He asked. Quinn thought for a moment before pointing to a sizeable area next to the GTN kiosk.

 

“That should be the best spot, my lord.” Quinn said. Ander looked at the spot. “Why there?” He asked. Quinn sighed, before explaining. “Whenever you leave to go train with Ms. Willsaam, Grophl sits in front of the elevator and waits for you to return. Normally, I wouldn’t be concerned, but after a few minutes, I think he truly believes you will never return. He howls and cries for so long, until he eventually gives up and lies down in that exact spot until you come home.” Ander’s heart broke for the little grophet and placed the bed in the spot Quinn suggested.

 

Grophl looked at the spot and back at Ander, worried that he would leave soon but Ander just picked him up and hugged him. “It’s okay, buddy. I promise I will always come back to you.” Ander said, giving his pet plenty of kisses.

 

\------------------

 

Quinn knocked on Ander’s bedroom door later that evening. He regretted that he was ten minutes late, though he regretted the reason even more so. Just moments earlier he was fussing over his outfit like a young school girl. He eventually went the safe route, a pair of dark jeans, a white shirt and a grey jacket. He thought he looked pretty casual himself, but as he waited for his lord to answer the door, his self esteem tore him apart.

 

Finally, Ander answered the door, only to be utterly speechless. He tried to form words but his brain was unable to move past Quinn’s outfit. “Um,” Ander started. “You look good, Quinn. Uh- You wanna come in?” Ander asked as he stepped aside. Quinn nodded, trying to hide the blush creeping up his face. He had noticed his lord’s outfit too, though it wasn’t anything he hadn’t seen before. Still, with how he felt now, he looked completely different. Still, Ander made a point to compliment him, the least he could do was return the favor. “You look good too, my lord.”

 

There it was again. Just like the first time they had met. The way he had said _my lord_ might have as well shoved an arrow into his heart. _His voice is deadly._ Ander thought. He brushed the thought quickly aside when he realized that he hadn’t gotten the machine ready yet. “Um-” Ander cleared his throat as he tried to refrain from being his usual awkward self. “Why don’t you take a seat on…” Ander looked around his room and noticed a severe lack of seating. Even his desk didn’t have a chair. Of course he didn’t need a chair, since the desk was just used to organize his tools. That, however, meant that the only place Quinn could possible sit on was the bed or the floor. “Just sit on my bed for now. If you want, I can get one of the chairs from the sitting area upstairs.”

 

Ander tried to make it seem better than it was, but he felt really horrible for not only assuming Quinn wouldn’t show up but also not even setting things up while he waited. Quinn could see the frustration in his lord and decided not to think too hard about the things that may have taken place on his bed, and sat down on the edge of it. “This should be fine, my lord.” Quinn took a moment to watch Ander’s expression lighten up. “Thank you.”

 

Ander blushed and turned away. “N-No problem. I just need to set up the machine and the console, give me a minute.” Quinn nodded, though he couldn’t help but try to sneak a peek of Ander’s face. He almost thought he saw some redness in his cheeks, but it could just be his imagination as well.

 

Ander’s inner thoughts, for once, tried to help him. _Okay, Ander, keep it together. You’ve got this! You’ve watched your dad do this probably a hundred times._ He thought and took a deep breath before getting started.

 

Even though it had been more than four or five years since he had last done this, he found the instructions to be burned into his memory. Perhaps, this was going to be easier than he thought. He fiddled with the wires, to make sure they were properly plugged in, before moving on to launching the program to turn on the GUI, or Graphical User Interface. In an instant, a load of color filled the screen and a square made of four smaller squares, of varying colors, presented itself in the center of the screen. A few moments later, it disappeared and was replaced with another logo of some kind. A blue screen popped up with a request for a controller to be paired.

 

Ander smiled and went over to a crate that was next to his bathroom door. Strangely, Quinn hadn’t noticed it last time he was here but he was probably just blind to anything but Ander, at the time. He watched as his lord open the crate and pull out a single controller. He pressed a button on it and Quinn turned his head towards the sound of a beep coming from one of the entertainment systems. A light on the controller lit up a nice deep blue, and Ander joined Quinn on the edge of the bed. He also used his powers in the Force to move the machine to sit in front of them.

 

“So,” Ander started, flipping through the various programs and games on the system’s menu. “What do you want to see first? If you want, you can take the controller and just explore it too.” Ander motioned the controller to Quinn, who politely refused. “I don’t wish to break it, my lord. Though, I am curious what the humans of ancient times found… fun.” Ander was worried for a moment that Quinn was switched by someone else, but when he saw the look on Quinn's face, he could see the sincerity in his eyes. Quinn wasn’t switched out, Ander could see that much. Quinn was just trying to get into Ander’s interest and trying to enjoy himself, for once.

 

Ander picked a game and as the game loaded, everything was more than quiet, it was peaceful. Until the booming sound of a gunshot made Quinn instinctively jump and reach for his blaster, which he didn’t bring. He quickly realized he was grasping at nothing and relaxed. Ander burst out laughing, he hadn’t realized until just then, that if you weren’t expecting it, it would terrify anyone. He apologized in between breaths and quickly recomposed himself.

 

“I’m sorry, Quinn. I should have warned you about that. Though, I promise you will enjoy this one, more than the others.”  Ander said. Quinn made a sheepish smile and nodded. He wasn’t upset that his lord essentially laughed at his misfortunes, because it wasn’t like that in his eyes. He cared it was just funny. Even Quinn thought so, after replaying the whole scene in his head.

 

They played this ‘game’ for a while, though at many points Quinn found it to be more of a simulation of **extremely** ancient life. They weren’t using blasters, instead they had **lead** bullets. They barely had armor, even Ander was having a hard time keeping his player character alive in gun fights. Though as Quinn continued to watch, he realized that his lord’s aim was absolutely horrid. Ander didn’t give up though, he continued to try until the game just gave him the option to skip the mission.

 

“Perhaps, we should just explore. I’m not really good at using guns, sorry.” Ander said, as he instructed his character to ride his mount in a random direction. Quinn thought that perhaps he should take over but as Ander’s character walked into a building, his interest inflamed. A bright light shown from above and Ander switched it into first-person view. He looked up and saw an obvious spacecraft come down, hover for a moment, before flying off again. Quinn was baffled. This entire time he assumed this game was set in ancient times, how could this spacecraft exist.

 

Ander saw the sheer frustration and confusion begin to bubble over in Quinn. He was no doubt having an internal theoretical war inside his mind. “It's a joke, Quinn. It's not supposed to be taken seriously.” Quinn looked at Ander with the most unamused face. “But…” Quinn wanted to protest so badly. He didn't find it funny and Ander barely chuckled either. He just simply did not understand. “Look, it's not really a joke but the term they use to refer to it by, just doesn't hold any weight in our current culture. Though, I guess you could call it a Silly Secret. Hah, that's kind of good. I'm going to use that from now on.” Ander laughed.

 

Quinn laughed with him, if only because his joy was contagious. His lord brought out so much good in him. Quinn had almost thought such parts of him were long dead and gone. He didn't deserve Ander, in fact, no one did. He was far too precious to be in a war ridden and blood stained galaxy like theirs.

 

After about an hour of playing, Ander saved the game and returned to the multicolored square screen. This time, however, it had a black side bar and several locked folders on the right side of the screen. “Do you want to hear some Historian audio logs?” Ander asked. Quinn's eyes lit up and he quickly spoke up. “Yes, please. Ever since you mentioned it, I've begun to wonder what they would have contained.” Quinn's voice was filled to the brim with excitement and intrigue. He really did enjoy watching Ander play but the thought of hearing the safe guarded secrets of his ancestors was an exciting event too. Ander mirrored him and proceeded to search through the folders for some of his favorites.

 

Tapping on the play button, Ander relaxed into his seat next to Quinn.

 

 _“-Recording started. Audio Log Number fifteen. The year is currently 5635. Colony Ship One, Infinity. Historian Family:---”_ The audio seemed to skip the family name, most likely due to data corruption, though Quinn was not about to assume. _“My name is Elise. I am the… one hundred and forty-fifth generation of historians. We have just entered the outer limits of a new galaxy. Everyone on board is so excited, my family included. Oh, how I wish the people we left on Earth could have come with us, but they had their own purpose.”_

 

The audio log ended with a click and Ander turned to Quinn with the biggest smile he could muster. Quinn was in awe. He truly believed Ander but to hear it for himself, was amazing. Quinn gave his lord an approving smile and Ander quickly played the next one.

 

Three hours later and the clock on Ander's bedside table dinged. Ander turned towards it and saw that the time was 10:00 PM. He had a reminder set on the thing for his bedtime, to prevent him from becoming engrossed by whatever he was doing. Quinn looked as well and realized that it was far past his time, as well. He often went to bed early to wake up early, but he didn't want to just leave, not like this.

 

Ander frowned, realizing that it was time to end their time together, for now… “Say,” Quinn look at Ander. “Do you want to come back again tomorrow? I mean, if you aren't too busy that is?” Ander asked. “Won't you be tired after your training with Ms. Willsaam?” Quinn asked, his medical training took over and immediately began to worry. Ander just laughed awkwardly. “What? No. If anything tires me out, it's the crippling realization that I'm worthless and no one could ever love me…” Quinn was dead silent. “But, tonight. I didn't feel like that. Spending this time with you… made me happy.” Ander released a breath of relief. He didn't sound awkward and perhaps he could actually do it this time. _He could tell him-_

 

“Oh, I'm glad I was a good distraction, my lord. I will add these events to your chart as a coping method for your depression.” Quinn was utterly pleased by their progress in just a few hours.

 _Or… Maybe not._ Ander thought. All the confidence and courage he just had, disappeared. Gone, never to return.

 

“So, was this just a _method_ to help me with my depression?” Quinn’s expression grimaced and he realized what his lord was asking. “No! No. My lord, I am so sorry that it came across that way- I came as your friend. I absolutely enjoyed this time with you and I let my medical side take over, for a moment. I didn't mean it like that. I just…” Ander watched as Quinn struggled and relaxed a bit. Quinn was always so composed when he was taking advantage of someone. Ander wasn't sure if he was conditioned to be that way in Military training or if his parents raised him as such, but when he was like this. Ander couldn't help but take in everything he said as truth. He truly was in the palm of this man's hand. Quinn could probably play him like a puppet and Ander wouldn't care.

 

“I worry about you. I don't want you to feel like you aren't good enough, you are. I'm sorry.” Quinn apologized. “Thanks.” Ander smiled. Quinn relaxed as his gaze refocused on his lord. “For what, my lord?” Quinn inquired. The clock dinged again as it hit ten minutes passed. Ander glared at the clock but decided to give into its little cries. “We should…” Quinn nodded. He agreed it was time to end the night.

  
Ander and Quinn said their goodbyes and goodnights, as Quinn left Ander's room to return to his own. Ander decided it best to sleep first and then rearrange his room. He said that, but he could hardly sleep with the memory of Quinn and him, alone, having fun. Maybe one day, he could tell Quinn how he felt. _Maybe_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any edits that need to be made, make a comment with the sentence. I would really appreciate the help. Thanks for reading, I hope you like it!


	16. Good Food and Fast Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ander returns home after a day of training to be informed of an urgent call made by his sisters... What could possibly be wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want some extra feels while reading the second half of this story, listen to this song while reading it:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbK3Uwf-cOw
> 
> I wrote this part listening to it, because...well, reasons.

The elevator doors opened smoothly but quickly, Grophl looking up towards them. Ander and Jaesa came home to the sight of the little grophet laying on a small portion of his large bed, wagging his little tail at the sight of them. Next to the grophet, Quinn was knelt down, petting the small creature. He looked up to his lord and Jaesa, before standing up and giving them a formal bow. “Welcome back, my lord, Ms. Willsaam.” He greeted them as usual. “While you were gone, my lord, your sisters’ called the house requesting your immediate callback. They didn't sound in danger of any kind but they did seem pressed for time.”

 

“Why didn't you call me?” Ander asked; it wasn't like Quinn to receive such a call and not try to contact him about it. Quinn sighed but retained his formal stance. “I called you ten times but you had your terminal on _Do Not Disturb_. I apologize for the missed calls on Ms. Willsaam device as well, but as I learned, she left her's in her room.” Quinn said, bowing his head. Ander grew increasingly worried for his sisters. “How long ago did they call?”

“Ten minutes, my lord.” Ander breathed a small sigh of relief but he knew a lot could still happen in such a short period of time and went over to the wall terminal. He dialed in their frequency and waited with bated breath until they finally answered.

 

The reception between them was terrible but somewhat stable. They both appeared but it seemed like the reception forgot to transfer half of Aria's body. A muffled _“Hello big brother,”_ came through on Ander's end, causing him to immediately turn up the volume. “Girls? Can you hear me? Is everything alright? Where are you?” He asked, his panic only growing.

 

Alessin waved him off as planet shattering rumbling came through the speakers. “That's not important right now.” Ander grew annoyed by her casual dismissal of his worries but he knew his sisters would tell him if they needed help, which they rarely did. “Yes, big brother, far more important things. For instance, we made a friend… without threatening them.” Aria felt the need to add on that last bit of information. An embarrassing moment in her life she would no doubt have to take to her grave.

 

Ander snickered slightly, knowing exactly why she had to mention that. “Oh really? Well, why did you just **have** to tell me this?” He asked. As much as he was pleasantly surprised by the girls’ latest achievement, he was also genuinely confused at the urgency. The girls -or just Alessin, seemed to shift nervously as the information slowly slipped from them.

 

“He may have… gotten badly injured and had to be evaced off world…” Ander rubbed his face with both hands. It started to sound exactly like it did when they were kids again. “And?” Ander pushed for more information. “And he was transported to Kaas City's Hospital for emergency surgery…” Alessin was making it sound very bad for them, but Ander held onto hope that they weren't the cause.

 

“Okay… So why did you want to tell me this? To scold you?” Ander had to make the suggestion, just in case. The girls immediately hugged each other, their faces petrified, and shake their heads in disapproval - Aria coming into full view, so close to her sister. “N-No! We just want you to make a care package for him, please!?” Alessin stammered to say. Aria piped up as well, in a feeble attempt to explain herself. “His name and title is Lord Cytharat, he’s a really chill pureblood. We just don’t want him to suffer with hospital food! Please, big brother, you have to help us. We still have a lot to do and can’t come to visit him until we are done!” The girls waited in soul-crushing silence while Ander studied their body language, still unsure if they were being honest. “Okay, if that’s what you really want. I understand. I’ll see what I can get together for him.” He said, relaxing his gaze. The girls also relaxed, happy to hear Ander’s decision. “Thank you.” They both said.

 

Before ending the call, Ander and the girls traded their goodbyes and good lucks. Overall, he was still worried on their behalf but as long as they stuck together, he knew they would come out alive. He then turned to his companions, Jaesa and Quinn, who had silently stood behind him as they waited for him to address them. As they knew he would.

 

Ander smiled at them but turned his attention to Quinn first. “Sorry for freaking out on you, earlier. I hope I didn’t come off as ungrateful for everything you tried to do.” Quinn shook his head. “I understand, my lord. You were worried for their safety and I only made it worse by not coming to you. I apologize.” Quinn bowed. Ander shook his head. “No, no. That would have been just a waste of time and- well, you heard how it all went down. They’re fine, that’s all that matters really.”

“And they made a friend, who needs our help, right Master?” Jaesa said. Ander nodded, smiling in her direction. “You think I can rely on you guys to help me out?” He asked.

 

Quinn and Jaesa were quick to accept Ander’s proposal. “I have already thought of three meal plans that I could cook in a relatively short amount of time with Ms. Willsaam’s help.” Quinn turned to Jaesa, “If you don’t mind, that is.” Jaesa smiled and shook her head, eager to help. Ander smiled. “Make sure they taste good too, I don’t want to go over there with nothing to show for.” He teased. Quinn rolled his eyes, while Jaesa let out a soft chuckle. “I will taste test for him, Master.”

 

Ander let them get to work in the kitchen and made his way up the stairs, to see if Vette wanted to add anything. Though he really didn’t know what else to add besides food, it was always good to ask. He knocked on her door before entering. Vette was on her bed, playing a game on her holopad. Noticing Ander out of the side of her eye, Vette paused it and gave him her attention. “Hey Sith, what’s up?” She asked. She had used that nickname ever since they met, never straying from it even after learning his name. Ander didn’t mind, though. After all, her name wasn’t really Vette, as he came to find out from her sister, so it was only fair that she give him a nickname too.

 

“Hey, I just got a call from my sisters and they actually made a friend that wasn’t related to them.” Ander snickered, walking over to Vette. “But he got hurt a while back and is in the hospital now. Quinn and Jaesa are already working on some food for a care package. Do you want to help them or do you have something else in mind?” He asked. Vetter pondered for a bit, setting her holopad aside. Her eyes lit up for a moment before she made her way to a box on the other side of the room, beside the door. “Jaesa and I decided that we were going to donate some stuff to charity a could weeks back but we haven’t really gotten around to taking it.” She said, rummaging around inside the box. “This should do. Tell him he can keep it if he wants since it was going to be donated anyway.” She pulled out a heated blanket and fairly good pillow, that had a lot of form and flexibility to it. She handed the items to Ander, who took them with a smile.

 

He thanked Vette before returning downstairs to check on the food and also call a taxi. He piled the blanket and pillow into a box and set it on the dining room table. Turning back to his friends, he spoke, “Hey guys. How’s it coming?” Ander asked. Quinn smiled, though his eyes never left the food he was preparing. “Good, my lord. This will be the last dish.” He said. Jaesa handed the other two pre-packed meals to Ander, who laid them in the box. “We couldn’t find any disposable boxes so we had to use some lunch boxes. We hope that’s okay.” Ander nodded. “Even if he doesn’t manage to return them, they aren’t that big a deal. Friends come before dishes.” He jokingly said, but the message stuck. They knew how important their small gesture meant and they were eager to fulfill it.

 

Quinn meticulously ensured that all three meals were made to perfection, as quickly as he could so they didn’t cool and handed the final meal to Ander, who added it to the box. With the care package complete, Ander closed the box and loaded himself and the box into the taxi. He said goodbye to his crew and made his way to the Kaas City Hospital.

 

\-------------

 

At the hospital, box in hand, Ander was at a complete loss. He had only been to a hospital a couple of times and that was in his early childhood. The waiting room and lobby were utter chaos, due to the city’s overpopulation and lack of government stability. Ander had never really noticed it until now but he was actually living in the rich sector of the city. The hospital was on in between the rich and the ever-expanding poor sector. That explained the sheer amount of sick and homeless people that filled its lobby.

 

Ander didn’t mind waiting but as he made his way to the reception droid at the front desk, the droid immediately scanned his face and ran around the counter to him.

<< Emperor’s Wrath. Greetings! How may I assist you today?!>>

Ander made an awkward smile at the droid, as more and more pairs of eyes started to glare at him. No doubt annoyed that he was receiving more attention than they had ever been given. “I’m here to visit Lord Cytharat. What room is he in?” He asked. The droid wasted no time in showing Ander the way.

 

He felt horrible for leaving those people, many of them families with children, with little hope of being taken care of. What could he do though? Even if he wanted to help, he wasn’t equipped to help all of them. They probably wouldn’t want to see him again anyway. They already saw how a Sith got treated, compared to them… It was the sad truth of it all.

 

The droid led Ander to Cytharat’s hospital room and asked if he needed anything else. Ander said he didn’t but really wanted to tell it to go back there and help some of those people. Though Ander knew far too well, that the droid could do nothing outside of its protocols. It could do nothing, like him, for those people.

 

...But. There was something Ander could do for one person. He walked into the room and saw a pureblood laying in a hospital bed, staring out the window on the opposite end of the room. He didn’t turn his head, nor give Ander a moment to speak. “You have the wrong room.” He sighed dismissively. He sounded tired and frustrated, probably in pain as well. “Cytharat, right? I’m pretty sure that’s the name my sisters gave me.” The pureblood turned to Ander, still not sure about the whole situation. “Yes… that is my name. Who are your sisters?”

“Darth Nox and Darth Malice.” Ander smiled, as he watched the shock appear on the pureblood’s face. “You are the Emperor’s Wrath?... Please for-”

 

Ander burst out laughing as he entered the room and set the box down next to Cytharat’s bed. Cytharat looked very confused as Ander wiped tears from his eyes. “I’m sorry. I get that a lot, but you don’t need to apologize. To be honest, I kind of did it on purpose, just to see how’d you react. The name’s Ander.” Ander outreached his hand to Cytharat, who was honestly still processing everything. Regardless, he took Ander’s hand and shook it. “And yes, I know, I’m Light Side.” Cytharat nodded, he was going to say that but didn’t want to assume. He then looked down and noticed the box next to his bed.

 

“What’s that for?” He asked. Ander glanced down at the box and back up to Cytharat. “Oh, that’s the care package my crew made for you. I’m just here to deliver it. My part of the package is spending time with you so you aren’t as bored as you were before I walked in here.” Ander laughed. Cytharat looked at the human with a surprised confusion. Why on this pathetic planet would the **Emperor’s Wrath** want to spend time with an injured failure of a Sith?

 

Ander opened the box and showed his new friend the contents. Cytharat appreciated the blanket and pillow just as much as he did the food, which he was able to taste immediately. Ander put the remaining two meals in the mini fridge, that came standard in the room.

 

“Have you eaten today? I hope I’m not forcing you to eat when you’re not hungry.” Ander asked. Cytharat shook his head as he swallowed another bite. “No, I haven’t eaten yet and you wouldn’t be forcing me, this is wonderful.” He said, taking a small respite before beginning again. Ander smiled. “That’s good to hear. My captain made these and he’ll be happy when I tell him what you think.” He said.

 

“Is it alright if I thank him, myself. It really is good.” Cytharat asked. Ander’s smile faded and he turned away. Confused, Cytharat tilted his head, wondering if he said something wrong. “I’m sorry,” Ander was shaking as he tried his best to explain himself. “My captain has really bad PTSD and seeing Dark Side eyes and traits triggers some pretty intense episodes for him. I mean, yes, you could talk to him but he would probably freeze up and apologize profusely. I know you can’t control it since you were born with it and all…”

 

Cytharat sighed. He knew that most of the military suffered from similar forms of PTSD. He was really starting to hate the relationship between the Sith and the military because of it. Still, though, he wanted to thank that soldier for the meal. “I don’t mind if it’s over holocall. He’s fine with those, right?” Ander looked back at him and smiled. “Yeah, he is. Here.” Ander transmitted his personal holo frequency to Cytharat’s personal holoterminal, which was laying on the side table.

 

The pureblood picked it up and transmitted back his own, before replacing it back on the table. “Thank you.” He said, relaxing into the pillow Vette had donated. “So, how did this happen to you, anyway? Was it my sisters? Do I have to beat their ass?” Ander punched his fist into his other hand, with a look that would give any child nightmares. Cytharat shot up and waved his hands. “No! They didn’t do this! It was Hutt-hired thugs that did this to me. Your sisters, they- they saved me…” Cytharat trailed off and looked out the window once more. “I don’t really know why they did… They didn’t have to, they could have just left me behind and-”

“Oh hell no they could not!” Ander said, crossing his arms in front of him. Cytharat looked at him with more surprised and confused looks.

 

Ander sighed. “Our dad raised us with the mentality, _No one gets left behind or forgotten_. Now, he could have meant that just between the three of us but I never thought to leave it at that. I shared that thought with them too, ever since we were young, that it doesn’t just apply to us. It applies to everyone we befriend and work with. We won’t leave anyone behind if we can help it.” He said.

 

Cytharat couldn’t help but get misty-eyed over that, but he didn’t cry. He didn’t need to.

 

Ander and Cytharat talked for a long while. The conversation went almost everywhere. It even helped Ander learn of things he never knew of. Like how Cytharat was Darth Malgus’ apprentice and how, just recently, the same Darth betrayed the Empire and committed treason. Ander knew the Dark Council was keeping him out of the loop but this was just ridiculous. Cytharat told him not to worry about it, ensuring him if he was actually needed, he could rely on himself to inform him. Ander appreciated it but still doubted much work would come from it.

 

Cytharat grew tired, due to his recovering injuries and Ander promised that he would come to visit again, before saying his goodbyes and returning home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the butchered format... I think the dialogue messed me up...
> 
> The reasons:  
> You only get to see Cytharat once, just in that x-pac. You do get a letter from him, but never get to have him as a companion. Getting a chance to romance a person without actually romancing them is rude, Bioware. Cytharat deserves better. He is a cool dude and chill bro. Justice for Cytharat!
> 
> This chapter was dedicated to him! I still miss you bro, join my Alliance my dude.


	17. The 'Play Date'

The day had finally come when Ander and his crew would meet his sisters' crew. Ander was particularly excited, whereas his crew were less so. They were happy for Ander but wondered how much he said of his sisters was truth and how much of it was brotherly endorsement. Still, they decided to reserve their thoughts for when they actually met them.

 

Jaesa, Vette, and Quinn waited patiently in the foyer. Ander had gone down to the spaceport to escort them back and ensure his sisters were reminded to hide their Dark Side traits. He knew Alessin was particularly stubborn about such things and didn't want any surprises. Ander walked them up to the elevator since he knew that his crew was waiting next to it.

 

The elevator doors opened to a total of six people, one of them being Ander, who stepped out first to reunite with his crew. Aria, Alessin and their crew gathered on the opposite wall. Ander introduced his crew first. "Aria, Alessin. This is my captain, Malavai Quinn. My apprentice, Jaesa Willsaam and my very own go-getter, Vette." They all greeted the Dark Council members with the utmost respect.

 

The girls smiled and bowed their head at their brother's crew, before introducing theirs. Aria was the one to do the actual introduction, however. "This is our pilot, Andronikos Revel. Our unofficial apprentice, Ashara Zavros. And our Sith artifact expert, Talos Drellik." The three crew members greeted Ander and his crew.

 

Ander was exceptionally excited to meet their apprentice but when Quinn stepped up to shake Talos' hand, his attention shifted. "Drellik, it's been a long time, old friend," Quinn said. "Too long; how is your son? Did he ever get to be an agent?" Talos asked. Quinn nodded, smiling as the wave of memories flooded back to him.

 

Alessin stepped up. "You two have met before?" She asked. Talos nodded. "A long time ago, longer than I'd like to admit. Quinn worked at the same military base I did and he was single-handedly raising an angel of a child." Talos reminisced. Quinn laughed softly. "He was only an angel in public and to you. He raised hell and high water for me when we were alone, but he was a good enough child." Talos laughed loudly and patted Quinn on the shoulder. "Still, I have never since seen a better father. You did far better than you give yourself credit for." Quinn shook his head. "He never would have been able to pass that Sith History test, if you hadn't tutored him. He owes you his entire career." Quinn said. Talos laughed once more, smiling far more than he did usually.

 

Ander loved their 'reconnection' more than anything else at that point and couldn't stop himself from giving Talos a friendly hug. Talos hadn't registered who the hug was from until he spoke. "I'm so glad you guys were able to meet once more. Thank you for being a good friend to Quinn." Ander said. At that point, Talos had frozen up and refused to make any sudden movements. Ander noticed his discomfort and quickly released him, all while apologizing profusely. Quinn did his best to calm his lord, while Talos recovered. The twins explained to Talos that Ander is a hugger and to not be alarmed.

 

Andronikos chuckled snidely. "I've seen a lot of huggers in my day but none of them have been a Sith." Quinn seemed annoyed by his comment and was quick to retort. "Revel, was it? I think you'll find out a lot of good things from my lord." He said, his voice was filled to capacity with a passive-aggressive undertone. Ander could tell immediately that Quinn did not like Andronikos one bit, and it seemed the feeling was mutual. Andronikos was about to say something stupid when Alessin cut in. "Brother," She tried to take the focus away from Quinn. "Didn't you say you had a huge seating area upstairs? Perhaps we should go there. It was a long walk from the speeder." Ander was quick to agree with her proposal, leading the large group upstairs.

 

Once upstairs, the group was more able to relax, much of the previous tension fading away. Ander ordered 2V-R8 to fetch some drinks and snacks. When the twins heard that, they immediately stopped listening to the rest of the conversation.

 

"Wait a second, Ander," Aria piped up. "Did you say 2V-R8?" She asked. Ander looked at her as though she had gone crazy. "Yes... why?" He asked, still skeptical of where she was going with this. Aria looked to Alessin who wasn't sure at first why her sister turned to her, specifically, until a light went off in her head.

 

"Oh my goodness! You have to be shitting me!" Alessin finally said. At this point, the rest of the group took an interest. Ander, however, was at a loss. "What the fuck are you girls going on about?" He asked. Aria had the biggest grin on her face as she spoke. "You have 2V-R8... While we have 2V-R9..."

"Our droids are siblings!! ...Just like us." Alessin finished with an adorable squeal. Ander was touched by their thought process, while everyone else was too busy gagging. Quinn thought it was cute enough but quickly told everyone else to behave themselves.

 

As the group conversed, it was obvious who got along with who. Andronikos and Vette told each other grand stories of pirates and ship battles... Until Quinn crashed the party with his 'facts'. Jaesa was absolutely pleased being able to consolidate her frustrations with another 'Jedi-to-Sith-Wannabe'. Ashara was too busy laughing to correct her, so Alessin did it for her. Jaesa apologized but Ashara was far from being offended and thanked her for the good laugh. Of course, there was also Quinn and Talos, but they already knew each other.

 

The twins did notice something unusual about Quinn, though. Every time Ander would deprecate himself, Quinn was always the first one to correct him and say something good about him. Hell, Quinn was even faster than they were when it came to Ander. If he tried to deny the claims, Quinn would not stop until Ander either gave up in a fit of giggles or believed what was being said.

 

The girls were amazed by their interactions but they wondered if there was honesty in Quinn's actions. They knew just how to find out too.

 

"So, brother," Ander turned his attention to his sisters. For some reason, they never called him by his name when they were planning something. Aria started once more. "Has your crew heard you sing before?" She asked, a wicked smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. Jaesa and Vette were quick to give Ander their attention but were soon followed by the rest of the group.

 

Ander was slow to respond as his anxiety rose with every passing moment. "O-Oh... Um, n-no." Even getting one word out was starting to be impossible, but he had to hold it together. He couldn't break down in front of everyone. Especially not in front of Quinn. Aria smiled on the inside. "Why don't you give a small demonstration, then? It doesn't have to be big." She pushed. "I'd rather not... you girls know how I am with-"

"Come on, brother, you never missed a chance to sing us a lullaby when we were kids." Aria pushed again. Quinn was starting to notice Ander's further discomfort and realized that what Aria was doing wasn't just friendly family banter... but, he couldn't talk back to a Sith, let alone a Dark Council member. No matter how much he hated what she was doing to him, he had to remain silent.

 

In the meantime, Aria had pushed further and further until finally, Ander left the group and went downstairs to his room. Quinn, who was worried beyond reason, excused himself to check on Ander. Aria made up a pathetic excuse to follow him. Alessin, on the other hand, assured everyone that Ander was fine, despite their suspicions.

  


Downstairs, Aria found Quinn about to knock on Ander's bedroom door. She quickly stopped him and pulled him into the foyer. His body had tensed up instinctively but relaxed once he realized that she wasn't going to hurt him. She looked almost sad when he finally looked at her.

 

"I'm sorry for doing that to Ander. You have to believe me when I say I only did it because I love him." She paused, looking to Ander's bedroom door, before returning her gaze to Quinn. Her eyes narrowed on him, but she wasn't angry, just unsure. "I had to make sure you were doing it for him and not just yourself."

"Doing what?" At that point, Quinn was completely lost. He had no idea what she was talking about. Aria huffed in frustration, though beating around the bush wasn't helping her any. "You know... Kissing ass for your own benefit." Quinn was shocked by her accusation. Had he really sounded like that? He didn't mean it like that. He had to say something! He had to- "It's not like that though, is it?" She spoke first. She already read his damn mind once, what was the hurt in doing so again? Damn, though, she really made him upset though.

 

Quinn was silent. He hadn't told anyone yet. He barely let himself believe it. Aria sighed but continued. "I'm not going to kill you for liking my brother. No, I just wanted to ask you for a favor... if you have already decided to stay by his side..." Her tone was soft, unlike the one she used on Ander earlier. Still, Quinn didn't want to forgive her for what she did earlier, but he still wanted to hear what she had to say.

 

"What favor?" The anger hadn't left his voice but Aria figured she deserved that much. "Please, whatever you do, just make him happy..." Quinn didn't expect to hear that at all but continued to listen to her request. Aria thanked her lucky stars for that. "You have to understand that Ander hasn't been the same since our father was killed..."

"He perished in battle?" Quinn asked. Aria figured as much would be the case. "I see... So he hasn't told you or anyone for that matter... I just figured, since he was willing to believe _you_ when you told him he was amazing, maybe he would've..." Aria paused as she tried to hold herself together. This was far too sensitive of a topic to have with a stranger, but somewhere deep down she wanted to believe in Quinn.

 

Aria took a deep breath, before continuing. "Our father was murdered..." Quinn was silent, dead silent, if but for a moment. "I'm sorry for your loss. I had gathered and suspected that he was no longer with us but I never- I'm sorry." Quinn's apology was sincere, Aria could hear it in his voice and she smiled despite the tears threatening to stream down her face. "You shouldn't be. I didn't have to face it like Ander did... I'm pretty sure he saw it happen."

"How do you know?"

"I don't, not for certain, anyway. I just know that our father had a plan in place that should something had happened to him, we were to go to live with Uncle Harkun. Wouldn't you have it, one day Ander told us we had to go and wouldn't tell us why. I guess he still hasn't come to face that yet..." Aria paused and took a glance at Quinn, who was sadly looking off in the direction of Ander's room.

 

"Anyway," Quinn looked back at the surprisingly short Sith beside him. "Give him a couple more minutes and he should be outside in no time. He's gotten good with dealing with his emotions." She said before returning upstairs.

 

Quinn did as she instructed and waited outside of his lord's room. As if on a timer, Ander opened his door and stepped out. He was somewhat surprised to see Quinn waiting for him but just figured he was just doing it for appearance's sake. As per usual, this was not the case. “Are you alright, my lord?” Quinn asked, though perhaps he shouldn’t have. He could see faded tear streaks on Ander’s cheeks and it was more than obvious that he had been crying the entire time.

 

Ander nodded, though he was far from being alright. “Do you wish to talk about it? I have to be honest with you; I didn’t like what your sister did to you…” Quinn felt almost ashamed to even say such a thing after the conversation he just had. Ander, however, seemed to react positively to his honesty. “However, I don’t believe she did it to mean you harm-”

 

“That’s a load of bullshit,” Ander growled. “She knows how bad my anxiety can get and hell I wouldn’t put it past her if she wanted me to have a panic attack right then and there because-”

“No!” Ander was shocked that Quinn; one, rose his voice, and two interrupted him. He must have had something important to say. Ander went quiet so Quinn could continue. “I’m sorry for raising my volume, my lord, but please understand. I just spoke with her and she didn’t mean to upset you. She knew how well you sang and she just wanted to share that with everyone. I, for one, agree with her. You have a wonderful voice and I would love to hear you sing again.”

 

Ander was surprised to hear Quinn say that he would **_love_ ** to hear him sing again. _Anything for Quinn._ He thought, before gathering up his courage and returning upstairs, with Quinn.

 

The group was more than pleased to see that Ander was alright but to hear him **sing**. Well… “Holy fucking shit…” Vette said though she was the only one to actually say anything in response. Jaesa and Ashara were utterly speechless and silently cursed themselves for not recording the performance. Andronikos and Talos just gave Ander a round of applause, which was followed by shouts of, _“encore!”_ by the rest of the group. Quinn was happy for his lord but was quick to shut down the group, explaining that it took a lot of courage to sing for such a dysfunctional lot and they were hardly deserving of an encore.

 

Thankful for his captain’s quick tongue, Ander got out of having to sing anymore and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon in peace.

 

Later on in the day, Grophl was able to meet Mr.Toothy. Everyone thought Mr.Toothy was going to terrorize the little grophet, as he easily dwarfed the poor thing. However, Grophl did not take kindly to a stranger coming into his home and bullying him. He turned on the Tuk’ata, baring his teeth - which looked rather sharp - and asserted his dominance. Mr.Toothy was not used to anyone fighting back and quickly ran from the pup, fearing for his life.

 

Once, Grophl showed Mr.Toothy who was boss, the two were actually able to enjoy playing together. The group ended their day of fun by watching a tiny grophet chase a giant tuk’ata around the apartment.

 

\-----------------------------------------

 

Long after everyone had left, Ander sat in his room, meditating. He had fun with his sisters and crew but there was this odd feeling in the back of his mind. It was almost like he could feel someone staring holes into the back of his head. It was kind of disturbing… Ander wanted to take a moment so he could clear his thoughts and hopefully rid himself of the feeling of dread he felt all afternoon. He searched the Force for something pleasant to think about. However, he would have no such luck.

 

Just like the vision he had on Quesh, Ander was _summoned_ into another meeting with the Emperor. It took Ander a moment to realize what was happening, but the unique aura of the Emperor tore through him. Ander kneeled, though whether it was out of fear or instinctively, was anyone's guess.

 

The Emperor walked around him, looking down on him. He stopped and looked like he was going to say something, but instead smiled a wicked grin. A moment later, it felt as though the gravity around Ander had been cranked up to a bone-crushing amount. It was incredibly painful… Just before Ander couldn't take anymore, he was released. The Emperor had retracted his aura, to the point where it was barely noticeable but his presence was still known. The Emperor got up in Ander's face, lifting him up with the Force. “Apparently, our first encounter wasn't enough to pique your interest.” Ander had no idea what he was talking about and honestly he couldn't focus on anything other than the pain that still consumed his entire body. The Emperor grew impatient with him and forced Ander's eyes on him. “If you do not seek me out on your own… I will give you a reason to.”

 

With that, Ander was _thrown_ from the vision, physically. His back crashed against his bedroom door. If he was wearing his armor, he would have definitely left a dent in the door. This time, however, he was pretty sure it was the other way around. Ander groaned in pain as he took a moment to recollect what had just happened to him. Before he could react, however, 2V-R8 opened his door and Ander fell backward, as he was using the door for support.

 

Quinn, who was helping clean up the kitchen, immediately ran over when he heard the thump that proceeded with Ander hitting the floor. He checked his lord and immediately noticed the amount of pain he was in. He looked to the droid and dismissed him so he could further help Ander.

 

Back inside Ander’s room and leaned up against the now **locked** door, Ander rested while Quinn went over him with his medical scanner. Quinn was stunned at the amount of internal and overall skeletal damage. He wanted to ask but he knew better than to just simply ask. Ander knew that answer easy enough. “It was…” Quinn didn’t want to know, personally. He hardly wanted to know who could possibly have done this to the nicest person in the galaxy, but Ander continued. “...the Emperor.”

 

Quinn was silent. At first, he thought he would have killed the person responsible but he couldn’t so much as touch that one. Quinn kept his head down and tried to think of a logical reason as to why the Sith Emperor would do such a thing to his loyal Wrath. “It was a threat…” Ander looked down to his captain, who spared his attention. He was scared, as anyone should be when learning of such a thing.

Ander sighed. He took a moment to take in a ragged breath, as he soon realized that it was harder to breathe now. “Quinn, please…” Quinn heard the desperation in his lord’s voice and wondered what he could possibly do to calm him. “Listen…” Ander could only muster a couple of words at a time, it was frustrating, to be honest. “My lord, please, I think it best that you wait until you have recovered-”

“No, please… I need-” Quinn immediately hushed himself. Whatever Ander needed to say, he needed to say right then, he would tend to him afterward. Ander silently thanked him and continued. “If something happens… to me. I need you to… take care of Grophl and,” Ander pointed to the Historian artifacts as best he could, but Quinn understood. Thankfully, talking was getting easier, though while he was trying to get that message out, Quinn may have stuck him with a kolto shot. Ander didn’t mind that as much since it seemed to dull the pain somewhat.

 

Still, though, after all that, Quinn didn’t want to believe that something, anything would happen to his lord that could possibly be worse than this. “My lord, I doubt anything could happen to you.” He said that but didn’t believe, not after all this. Ander firmly placed a hand on Quinn’s shoulder and quietly pleaded with him. “Promise me you will.” Quinn didn’t want to. He didn’t want to. He couldn’t-

“I promise, my lord.”

 

Ander relaxed with his promise and let Quinn fully tend to his injuries. However, he knew full well that once he was able, he had a lot of work to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To those I may have tricked while writing the last bit, I apologize but there will not be just RAINBOWS AND SUNSHINE.
> 
> Also, I bought a mini foldable bluetooth keyboard so I could write about this anywhere but naturally forgot about it and left it at home. So, sadly, I wrote this note on my phone's keyboard. :(


	18. A Reason

The previous night was incredibly stressful. Quinn fussed over Ander endlessly but some clever wording finally convinced him to retire about half past three in the morning.  
  
Ander had a lot of work to do today. He couldn't sleep at all, though he doubted that three hours would have done much for him.  
  
The message the Emperor left for him was on constant replay in his mind. He wondered what reason that could have been but decided that regardless of what it could be, he would be ready for it. Ander got on his armor, mask included, and grabbed his holoterminal, before sneaking out of the apartment. Just to be safe, he set 2V-R8 on stand by mode so he wouldn't tell Quinn anything. He had an inkling that he may have said something out loud and didn't want Quinn to worry any further.  
  
It was raining fairly hard that morning, though it wasn't particularly abnormal for Dromund Kaas as the days when it didn't rain were the strange ones. Ander didn't care though, he only had one thing in mind: Make sure Quinn is set up for life, should something happen to himself.  
  
Ander knew his sisters would be fine. As long as they were together, they could survive anything. Even though he knew that he still had to remind himself from time to time. Though he was more than certain about one thing. Without him, Quinn would be left to the mercy of a ruthless Sith-ruled Empire. He didn't want that for him. He deserved better.  
  
Still, though, Ander had to remain focused. He marched through the cold rain, making his way to the bank branch next to his apartment building. It was the only bank branch in the entire city that was open all hours of the day, with humanoid tellers available around the clock as well. He quickly made his way inside and asked for a banker.  
  
They all knew who Ander was, at least they knew what the government told them. In their mind, he was not someone to anger. That was how the public generally saw every Sith, regardless of their alignment. Ander didn't mind that; this time he would use that inherent fear to his advantage. He knew full well what he was about to ask of them would be impossible for anyone else.  
  
Ander sat down with a young female banker. He didn't want to ruin her day, but he wanted it done. She asked what she could do for him, as friendly as she possibly could be. "I need to register someone as sole beneficiary and second owner, same person." He said. The female banker shifted comfortably as she tried to formulate a response, but Ander spoke first. "If you can't do it, don't waste my time. Get me someone who can, or do you see yourself bold enough to turn away the Emperor's Wrath?" He asked in the lowest tone he could muster. The banker immediately apologized and asked Ander to wait as she retrieved her manager.  
  
About two hours with the manager and his manager, Ander was able to leave the bank with Quinn as both the secondary owner of the account and sole beneficiary. However, he knew that money alone wouldn't solve every problem. He had to make sure Quinn would be protected.  
  
Ander called One through his personal holoterminal and ordered him to come to meet with him as soon as possible. The pureblood obliged, giving Ander an estimated time of arrival. Ander told him where to meet him and went over to wait for him.  
  
  
Ander noted that One was just as meticulous and punctual as Quinn, as he arrived at the meeting spot on the dot. One, who was usually seen without headgear, actually appeared before Ander in heavy armor and wearing a helmet. Ander wondered why he decided to wear armor now of all times but didn't ask as it was hardly important.  
  
"One, I have a favor to ask of you... If you still claim to serve me, that is." Ander was calm in his delivery, but in his mind, he was kicking himself for not asking sooner. If One was still even remotely aligned with the Emperor, then this meeting of theirs could backfire royally. One made a gracious bow before responding. "The Emperor has gone quiet to myself and the rest of the Hand. While we are still in contact with each other, we have lost direction. Before he went silent, however, he put myself under your charge. That is where my loyalty will lie. With you. Instruct me as you will. Wrath." One was very to the point when he spoke. Ander was very glad for that. "Then I have a very important favor to ask of you..."  
  
  
One accompanied Ander back to his apartment. Ander had to explain to him Quinn's PTSD, to which One already knew, explaining the helmet but not the armor. One explained that his lack of armor was due to his previous purpose. Now, however, he had a new purpose and expected that he would need new armor. Ander had forgotten that One was prone to mind reading and so, of course, he knew before even being told.  
  
As they exited the elevator, they were immediately approached by Grophl, who lunged at Ander with boundless energy. After a couple of cuddles, the pup noticed One standing next to Ander and immediately fell in love with him. Ander was surprised but encouraged the grophet's positive reaction to the pureblood.  
  
A moment later, Quinn entered the room. It appeared as though he was following Grophl, as he called for him before rounding the corner. Upon seeing that Ander was accompanied by someone else, he was quick to humble himself. "My lord, I was unaware that you had left this morning. Who is this? Would you like for me to include them with our breakfast?" Quinn was quick to ask, but Ander was not. He had hoped Quinn would have still been asleep, though it was a foolish thing to do so.  
  
Ander looked to One, who whispered his indifference through the Force. Ander turned back to Quinn. "Make some extra. If he wants it, he will eat it." Ander's voice was devoid of its usual energy, which caused Quinn to wonder but he didn't get a chance to ask before Ander returned to his room and locked the door behind him.  
  
Quinn turned back to the person behind him and watched as he rested his back against the nearest wall. Quinn wanted to be friendly but wasn't sure if he even should, but One spoke first. "Do you not remember me?" One said. "Servant One?" Quinn asked. He was surprised to see him in the flesh and wondered why Ander hadn't introduced him. "Is... is our lord alright?" Quinn asked.  
  
"He lives. As long as he draws breath, there is little else to worry for." One said. That... was not the answer Quinn was expecting nor wanted, however, he believed One made a fair point. However, Quinn knew his lord was also a misleading figure. He could be alive and well but also in a lot of emotional pain. Still, as long as continued to live, he could always be fine. Perhaps it was a nice hope to hold onto.  
  
\----------------  
  
Days had passed since One had joined Ander's crew at the apartment. Quinn tried his best to accommodate for the extra person, but One refused all attempts at being hospitable. His reason, every time, being he only needed the Force to sustain him. Quinn asked Jaesa if such a thing was possible, to which she replied that she simply didn't know for purebloods. Humans generally needed some kind of physical nutrition alongside the Force unless they were extremely in tune with the Force. She wasn't sure about Sith Purebloods and figured if he needed something, he would probably get it.  
  
Quinn had also become increasingly worried for Ander as he had become distant in the days that passed. So distant, in fact, that he had shut Grophl out of his room and refused to speak with anyone. Quinn was afraid he'd starve, as he didn't leave his room to attend any meals but when he left meals outside his door, he would catch Ander open his door to take the plate and replace it with dirtied dishes. At the very least, Quinn didn't have to worry about his appetite.  
  
Quinn didn't hate his lord for this temporary absence of his. Not even a little bit. He remembered that night in vivid detail. The blood that trailed out of Ander's nose and mouth were a sure sign of internal damage. Quinn was scared for Ander, scared of what or who could cause such a thing. The Emperor... A shiver shot down his spine every time he thought of it. Why would he do such a thing to the one he chose to be his Wrath? Had he grown unhappy because of Ander's stagnant life? What if it wasn't something that Ander had done, but something that Quinn had done? No, no. Quinn thought. His train of thought was going to irrational conclusions again.  
  
Quinn snapped from his thoughts when he realized he had left the water running and the sink was beginning to overflow. Quinn quickly shut off the water and wiped up the surrounding countertops and floor. He had never let his thoughts take over as much as they did just then. He decided to finish cleaning the dishes, that didn't fit in the washer, before continuing his train of thought.  
  
Before he could start, however, he heard the ever familiar sound of Ander's bedroom door unlocking and opening. Quinn didn't want to upset him in any way and tried not to mind him, but when he walked into the kitchen and stopped behind him, he couldn't help but turn around. Quinn looked up at Ander and saw the eye bags and swollen eyes, as though he had been crying recently but also had a severe lack of sleep. Ander looked back at him with a saddened expression and Quinn resisted the urge to hug his sadness away. Though he knew it wasn't his place.  
  
Ander slowly closed his eyes as he reached for something in his back pocket. He opened them, once more, as he pulled out his payment card. Slowly, he outstretched his right hand, which held the card, towards Quinn. Quinn looked at the object curiously, yet suspiciously. What was his lord doing? He wondered but Ander soon answered that question. "Take it," Ander said. His voice sounded strained and tired, he definitely hadn't slept well in the past few days.  
  
"My lord?" To be quite honest, Quinn completely missed what was said, that or he didn't want to hear it nor believe it. Ander sighed, possibly out of exhaustion or frustration. "Please, Quinn. Just take it." Ander said again, more assertive this time. No, this time Quinn definitely heard and understood it. "No, no. Whatever you are thinking that would lead you to do this is irrational and... and you aren't well my lord. If you let me help you..." Quinn trailed off as Ander's expression worsened. He wasn't angry but it was clear that he didn't want to do this either.  
  
Ander reached out his other hand, gently taking Quinn's left hand into his own. His touch was gentle; he didn't grab him with force or strength but instead pleaded with Quinn to do as he asked of him. Ander took Quinn's hand and placed the card within it, before folding his fingers back over it and releasing his hand, just as gently as he had done prior. This wasn't a demand, it was a request. Quinn took the card, sheltering it against his chest as though it was just as precious as his lord.  
  
Their moment together was cut short, though, as a bright orange glow emitted from the wall holoterminal in the foyer. Ander went to investigate first but was quickly followed by Quinn, after he put away the payment card. They approach the holoterminal as it begins to play an emergency broadcast.  
  
<<WARNING>>  
<<THIS IS NOT A DRILL>>  
<<UNKNOWN HOSTILE FLEET INBOUND TO KORRIBAN>>  
<<REINFORCEMENTS REQUESTED>>  
<<REPEAT>>  
<<THIS IS NOT A DRILL>>  
<<KORRIBAN IS UNDER SIEGE>>  
  
The automated message was set to play at the highest volume the device would allow. It caused the building to rumble as the message repeated. Ander just stood there, shell shocked. Quinn had to answer the automated message and effectively shut it off. He turned to the doorway to see Vette, Jaesa, and One. They no doubt had heard it and were already in battle-ready gear. Vette looked to see Ander standing dead still. She motioned at Quinn asking what happened but before Quinn could answer her, Ander snapped out of it.  
  
"We have to go." He motioned to Quinn. "Quinn get everyone to the Fury and get it ready for take off." Ander went to get his armor on. Before they left, Quinn ordered 2V-R8 to remain and take care of Grophl. He didn't want to bring the grophet anywhere near this fight...  
  
\-------------------------  
  
By the time the Fury reached Korriban, the mysterious fleet had come and gone, leaving only a trail of destruction in its wake. The orbital station was completely destroyed, pieces of it strewn across the outer reaches of the planet's gravitational pull. There were husks of Imperial Dreadnaughts floating just above the planet. The ships were critically damaged and there was likely to be no survivors on board. Quinn and Vette were equally mortified but Jaesa reminded them that there could be survivors planetside. Ander asked if Quinn could possibly land the Fury on one of the plataeus just above the academy, to which Quinn said he would try.  
  
Quinn was an absolute master and landed the Fury expertly on a fairly level ground plataeu. Ander ordered One to accompany him and for the others to stay put, just in case. However, just as Ander and One exited the Fury, Ander saw several Imperial Star-Destroyers and other battleships exit light speed. Some of them looked to be owned by Dark Council Members, which somewhat gave Ander a sense of relief.  
  
Ander and One Force jumped their way down to the Sith Academy entrance. One of the giant red stone statues had fallen onto one half of the building, completely crushing that side. Though, the structure was quite a distance from its original resting place, leading Ander to conclude it had been 'thrown' to its new location. Ander wasn't concerned with that nor the state of the building. He was far more worried about the people within it. His Uncle Harkun and possibly his sisters were in that building. Aria and Alessin were Dark Council members, after all, it wouldn't have been unreasonable to assume they would have been present for all this...  
  
Ander rushed into the academy. The statue had crushed the side of the building that Harkun's classroom was on. He hoped that maybe he got out in time but his stress-induced irrationality took over. Before he could fully break down, however, One turned his attention to a slightly bruised but not-dead Harkun, walking towards him. Ander hugged him and held onto him tightly for a moment before releasing him.  
  
"Uncle." Ander breathed a sigh of relief. Harkun patted Ander on the back, in a hopes to comfort him. "Ander, thank god you're alright. Have you seen your sisters?" He asked. Ander shook his head. "No, but I'm going to go out and look for them." Ander turned to One. "One, can you stay here and ensure the building stays stable until everyone is evacuated?" He asked. One nodded and stayed with Harkun to help the Overseers evacuate the acolytes.  
  
Outside, Ander followed the path of destruction out passed the old Sith Tomb training ground. As he took the elevator down, he saw dead soldiers and Sith litter the supposed battlefield. He hoped that he wouldn't find his sisters among them, but when he heard the shifting of rock and rubble come from a collapse tomb entrance, his attention switched focus. If someone was alive down there, he had to tend to them first. Ander approached the entrance slowly, and thank goodness he did, as a boulder shot out, barely grazing his head and landing somewhere in the distance. Ander looked towards the hole that was created afterward and waited.  
  
Alessin jumped out first, her face red with anger. "Fucking dammit, Aria! I could have easily killed that dude! But nooo! You just had to throw me into the tomb and block the entrance! Ugh!" She didn't once stop to help her sister, as Aria climbed out of the hole. Aria looked like she was just about fed up with her sister's crap and snapped at her. "Alessin shut the fuck up. You were about to be sliced in half by the other one, which you obviously didn't see coming up on your left when I pushed you in there! I saved your fucking life and I don't even get a thank you?!  You're fucking welcome!" Aria practically screamed at her. Alessin turned to her, tears in her eyes. "You don't deserve a thank you! Because of you, I will never get my lightsaber back! Hell, those guys probably took it!"  
"Who fucking cares about your stupid lightsaber! You just looted it off of some dead guy anyway!"  
"It looked like _daddy's_ !" Alessin screamed at the top of her lungs as Aria went quiet. Ander slowly approached them and gently hugged them. They both relaxed into his embrace and shed a few tears into his chest.  
  
Ander then took one of his lightsabers and handed it to Alessin. "Here." He said softly. The twin sabers that Ander carried on him also looked exactly like the one his father had. Alessin took the saber slowly, quietly asking him if it was truly alright. Ander reassured her and she returned his hug. They spent a moment together, thankful to have each other before returning to the academy.  
  
Ander walked with his sisters, who had now forgiven each other, and among the people that were swarming outside, Ander managed to reunite with One. Ander didn't realize at first but One was surrounded by several members of the Dark Council. Darth Marr, in particular, was extremely agitated, likely because One rarely spoke to anyone besides Ander. Ander quickly intervened, putting himself between One and the angry Sith Lord. "Hold on now! What's going on here?" He asked. One rolled his eyes at Ander's intervention. _That was unnecessary, Wrath. I can handle myself._ One whispered. _I did it for their protection._ Ander whispered back. One smirked ever so slightly in response.  
  
Darth Marr did not appreciate the silent conversation between the two, however. "Wrath, if your pet will not answer me, then perhaps you will. Who was it that attacked us and why did the Hand not come to our aid?!" Darth Marr was pissed and rightfully so, but One would not tolerate his tone towards his brothers and sisters. "You'd best watch yourself. The Emperor's Hand did answer your call. They came, they fought and died in this massacre... Even Servant Two." Ander looked at One, stunned to the core. "Are you... alright? One?" Ander asked. One didn't reply to his question and simply stared down Marr with his bright red eyes. "Listen well, Dark Council. The Emperor's Hand is no more. I, Servant One, announce myself to be the Wrath's Hand for the rest of my days." One said in a slightly more prideful manner, but Ander hardly minded. "Okay, and let it be known: that I will not serve anyone who would turn on their own people like this..." Ander said. Darth Marr and the rest of the Dark Council stammered, unsure of what Ander really meant but hoped that it wasn't true. "You don't...?" Darth Marr started. Ander nodded. "Yes... the Sith Emperor did this... He said that he would give me a reason to come find him. I believe this is what he meant."  
  
Everyone went silent, shock filled their eyes, though it was soon replaced by pride and anger. "The Emperor wants you to find him? Then we will draw him out. Everyone, get the fleet ready." Darth Marr ordered.


	19. Gone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get the tissues my dudes!! You're gonna need them!
> 
> Sorry for the feels! <3

Quinn pulled the Fury alongside Darth Marr's ship and began its docking process. He left the captain's chair and joined Ander in the holoterminal room of the ship. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't somewhat anxious about this whole thing. Seeking out the Emperor and requiring the entirety of the Empire's and Republic's fleet to do so...  
  
Just before they had left Vaiken Spacedock to meet with the fleet, Ander received a message from his sisters claiming that the Republic formed a temporary truce with the Empire so that they could aid them in finding the Emperor. Apparently, seconds before Korriban was attacked, Tython was laid under siege as well. It was a simultaneous attack but reports said that after the fleet left Korriban, it joined the rest of its forces on Tython. The Jedi Order was hit so much harder than the Sith were. Quinn hoped that Timmns wasn't killed in the fighting... He was the only Jedi he even really liked.  
  
Ander stood in front of the ship's holoterminal, talking with One. Ander had already explained to everyone that he was going onto Marr's ship alone. They had all seen what that mysterious fleet could do to the Imperial Star-Destroyers and Dreadnaughts. The Republic had even reported the same amount of devastation to some of their more powerful ships. Quinn knew what Ander was doing. He was protecting them. The fewer people that went on that ship, the fewer casualties. Quinn hated that part of him though. More than anything, Ander was willing to sacrifice himself for the good of everyone. What Ander didn't realize was that he was the good of everyone and everything. Without him, there was no good in the galaxy, let alone the universe.  
  
Quinn put on his best fake-face and approached Ander. He wanted this to be a good memory. Ander turned to him and signaled One away. One went onto the bridge to give them some space.  
  
It was obvious that Ander was expecting the worst outcome, it was all over his face. "My lord." Quinn greeted. Ander could feel tears threatening to break through but held them in. "Quinn." He replied. Now would have been the perfect time to confess, they both thought but... Ander lost his nerve. "No matter what happens, Captain. You put yourself and the crew first. Understand?" Ander asked. Quinn nodded, but he couldn't reply and Ander found this the best time to leave. The docking process was done. Ander quickly left the Fury...  
  
Ander quickly headed to the bridge and met with Darth Marr. The old Sith looked almost like a stalwart guardian, sworn to protect his nation against any threat. Even one that could, most likely, kill him with a snap of his fingers. Perhaps Ander was just getting sentimental over the whole situation or maybe it felt too much like one of the old human tales. Whatever the case, Ander admired Marr's unwavering courage.  
  
Marr turned to Ander and signaled him to come stand next to him. "The Sith Emperor... You can feel him out here." Marr said, even though he had never had a meeting like Ander, though he too could feel it. "Yes. It is fainter than the vision I had of him but it is definitely him... An overwhelming force ready to suck the life from you."  
"My thoughts exactly..." Marr looked down at Ander and sighed. Ander looked at the old Sith curiously. "Your sisters... Nox and Malice. I have ordered them to remain on Korriban, along with the rest of the Dark Council. If we should fall today, we will need the Academy in order to train a new army. I would also hate to extinguish such a strong bloodline so young." Marr said. Ander chuckled softly. "I didn't know you cared. Did the angry munchkins wiggle their way into your heart?" He asked. Marr laughed softly. "Perhaps."  
  
A moment later, an unknown probe - matching the mysterious fleet's signature - whizzed past the bridge's windows. "Dammit. Shoot it down!"  
"What- Marr, we shouldn't-"  
"If we let it get away, the enemy will have know everything. We-"  
  
An absolutely monolithic sized fleet exited hyper speed right in front of them and Marr's fleet barely had time to react before they were being fired upon. Ander looked at the fleet and then back at Marr. This was just going to be another slaughter. "Marr, we can't win this fight. We have to get the fleet out of here." Marr knew Ander was right and for once, put his pride aside. "Everyone retreat. All ships that are able, jump to light speed. All personnel get to the escape pods." Marr ordered. Ander was thankful for Marr's ability to listen to reason but received an emergency call from his ship on his holoterminal.  
  
"My lord! We received the order from Darth Marr... but the ship is stuck. The docking clasps have fused to the door. We can't unhook ourselves!" Ander looked to Marr, who looked to the ship's docking release. The one on the bridge had been disconnected from extensive damage. "There is a ship-wide docking release in the engineering room. It should still be functional if we get there quickly." Marr said. Ander nodded. "Hang in there, Quinn. I'll be right there." He said if only to keep his crew calm.  
  
Ander and Marr made their way to the engineering room, all the while dealing with a horde of droids that had begun to board the ship. "Once we get your ship out of here, you are getting in an escape pod," Marr said. Ander didn't argue but he wasn't going to let Marr die for him.  
  
The engineering room was luckily void of intruders, yet. They both knew they would be there soon and blocked the door behind them with some of the heavy equipment. Marr made his way to the engineering panel and smashed the docking release. Ander got a notification from his holoterminal that the Fury was freed but soon got an incoming call from Quinn, which he had to ignore for a little while. Marr went over to the engineering bay's escape pod and readied it for Ander. Ander hung back and waited for the doors to open, before using the Force to push Darth Marr inside and slamming the eject button. The doors slammed shut and locked. Marr looked back at Ander and was probably shouting some profanities when he jettisoned out into space. Ander smiled and answered Quinn's call.  
  
"My lord? Where are you?"  
"One, get them out of here."  
"My lord! Please, don't do this..."  
"Take care of Grophl for me-"  
  
The audio cut out as soon as the Fury began the process to jump to light speed. Quinn turned to One, completely furious. "How could you! We can't leave him-" Quinn was cut off when a bright light shined through the Fury's window. He looked back at Marr's ship to see a massive shockwave tear the ship in half... and then, the Fury jumped to light speed and they were gone... Ander was...  
  
Quinn fell to his knees, in front of the entire crew. Though, they were hardly one to judge. Vette just sat in her seat, staring out the window as tears soaked her cheeks. Jaesa was shocked, but somehow alright. She and One had a different perspective on the whole thing but it was still... surreal. One looked like he was about to say something when Jaesa whispered to him. _Don't. Not yet. Give them some time and then we will discuss... that._ One nodded and just flew the Fury back to Dromund Kaas.  
  
\-----------------------  
  
The arrival back at the apartment felt like the waking from an awful dream. It wasn't a dream, however. No, if anything it was a living nightmare for Quinn.  
  
They all exited the elevator to the excited yips and whines from Grophl, yet no one felt like petting the pup. He hardly minded, however, they were probably just too tired from their adventure with master... Grophl looked at all of them, as though he was counting them. He sniffed them all and could kind of smell Ander on them but he couldn't see him. Quinn watched the pup with bated breath. Grophl checked the elevator to see if maybe he was hiding? Like that one time, he jumped out of the closet and spooked Grophl. That was super fun, so maybe... No, he wasn't in the elevator. The only scent of Ander was from when they left the first time, so?...  
  
Quinn sighed and knelt down. He softly asked for the pup to come to him, which he did. Quinn gently scooped him up into his arms and held him against his neck, letting the pup rest his head on Quinn's shoulder. "Grophl... I'm so sorry but..." Quinn breathed in a hitched breath as he held his tears back. "Your master isn't coming home... He's gone." Quinn softly said.  
  
Just like a person would, Grophl did not take the news easy. He wrestled himself out of Quinn's arms, and barked at the man, before going back to the elevator to look for Ander. When he couldn't find him, he turned to One, baring his teeth and snarling at him. "Grophl, he didn't do anything to your master. He was just following his orders. Your master told him to protect us. Please don't be mad at him..." Quinn said and so Grophl turned on him. Snarling and barking but eventually, he couldn't even keep that up. The grophet returned to Quinn's arms and whimpered into his chest. When Quinn firmly wrapped his arms around the pup, Grophl let out the most heartbreaking howl. The pup was mourning but Quinn swore to himself to never leave this pup alone. Never again...  
  
Quinn exited Ander's room, after just having put Grophl to bed and ensuring he was asleep. He went into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of hot coffee that Jaesa had prepared for the crew. He didn't bother with any sweeteners, as he was hardly in the mood for them and they only reminded him of Ander's milk and sugar with a splash of coffee. He sat at his usual spot at the table, next to Jaesa and took a sip of his coffee. Alderaan coffee was rancid, much like his mood though. He sighed, forcing himself to swallow the putrid liquid.  
  
Jaesa looked at Quinn with a concerned look, as she slowly pulled the cup away from him. "Here, Captain. I had made this one just for you. It's Kaas's brand." She said, handing him a different, still hot, cup. Quinn thanked her and took a much more pleasant sip. Jaesa looked to One, who nodded ever so slightly at her. "So, Captain... I wanted to wait to tell you this but..."  
"We did not feel the Wrath pass." Quinn looked at the pureblood, who had replaced his helmet with a blacked out visor, curiously but also confused. "What do you mean you didn't feel him pass?" Quinn asked. "When a Force user dies, their passing creates a ripple through the Force. The stronger they are, the more distinct the ripple." One explained. "In other words, we didn't feel him die. We actually both believe that he may live and when I meditated when we got back, I could still feel him but it's faint." Jaesa chimed in. Quinn looked at both of them with disbelief. "But... the ship was ripped in half... No normal person could survive that-"  
  
"Those attune to the Force are not _normal_. We are beings with abilities once thought to be supernatural or even fictional." One said. Jaesa nodded and placed a hand on Quinn's shoulder. "I promise you, I will bring him home." Quinn looked at her as she got up from her chair and grabbed her bag. "You're leaving? Now?" Quinn asked as he got up after her. She turned back to him and smiled. "The Fury will likely be claimed by the government or Imperial Intelligence. One has been gracious enough to give me his ship to go find Master. Which I will. I will not stop until I bring him home to you and Grophl. I promise, but please... Stay here and take care of Grophl." She said, before leaving the apartment one last time.  
  
Quinn turned to One, who just nodded. _Alright, my lord._ Quinn thought. _I'll be waiting._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I saved Sith Morgan Freeman guys. I did it in a way that would be totally believable... Against his will.


	20. A New Start

Months had passed since Jaesa had left them to go find Ander. Not soon afterward, Vette had decided to help her in another way. Instead of outwardly searching for Ander, Vette decided to team up with her old Twi'lek crew to cause a bit of mischief, effectively taking away any attention from Jaesa. She left about two weeks after Jaesa had, leaving Quinn, One and Grophl alone. 2V-R8 had actually been claimed by the government in exchange for _letting_ Quinn and One remain in the apartment, charge free. Though, Quinn was pretty sure One had convinced them to come to that conclusion by scaring the shit out of them.

 

The mysterious fleet, that took Ander away, was revealed to be owned by the Eternal Empire. A nation built by their very own Sith Emperor but with the goal of surpassing his failed Sith Empire. Naturally, the remnants of the Dark Council were angered by that and threatened to show their might, but they were quickly silenced. Not killed, but disabled. The Jedi were quick to point out the Eternal Empire's unjustly invasion but they too were shown how quickly they fall before the Eternal Fleet's power. After only one month, both the Republic and the Empire were quick to sign a peace treaty with the Eternal Empire. Arcann, their new Emperor and son of the Sith Emperor Valkorion, had demonstrated his fleet's strength enough. He did not let them off easy, however, demanding a plethora of resources, technology, and weapons in exchange for letting both factions exist. It was a quick and hard hostile takeover of the entire galaxy. Not even the Hutts were safe from the Eternal Empire. In addition to the resources, all Core Worlds had to allow Sky Trooper droids, Zakuul's low cost-high production battle droids, to inhabit and police the populace and snuff out any chance of rebellion and resistance.

 

Quinn watched from Ander's bedroom window as hundreds of Sky Troopers swarmed the Kaas City streets. He didn't dare take Grophl on walks anymore. Too afraid they would hurt him or confiscate him. He had officially moved into Ander's room at this point, despite his original arguments against it. Grophl seemed to be most comfortable that way, so of course, it was a natural choice.

 

Being in his room, alone, used to bring tears to Quinn's eyes but now after spending well over three months living in it... Quinn had come to find a lot of items gave him comfort and made the hardest of days, easier. For example, at some point, Ander had compiled a massive amount of photos and videos of their time together into an album on a desk holo-theater. Every now and then it would shift between pictures and sometimes even play videos. There were some photos, like the self-portraits, that he never realized had been taken, but Quinn remembered a few of the group photos, like the one of when he had joined the crew.

 

It brought a smile and a couple of tears to his eyes. Back then, he had thought him more crazy than friendly but saw him as an easy way to survive but... Back then, Quinn was a bitter, stupid fool. He couldn't see a good thing even though it hugged him and smiled just to see him. He regretted not confessing his feelings to Ander every waking moment and was tormented by his unconscious mind, as well. His dreams were not something he minded in the past, but lately, they were filled with nightmares of losing Ander over and over. Sometimes it was just a replay of his memories and others it was him privately witnessing his death, even if it wasn't true. One had to remind Quinn constantly that Ander was alive but still the dreams persisted.

 

Grophl seemed to have the same problem at night when he would sleep by himself. The only solution Quinn had found for both of their problems, was for Grophl to sleep with him, nestled in Quinn's arms. The pup's soft but constant snores quickly lulled Quinn into a deep sleep and replaced the nightmares with more normal dreams. It was a change that was ultimately caused by the passage of time instead of a grophet's magical snoring but it was a nice coincidence.

 

Ander's room was comforting and accommodating but Quinn still had to change some parts of it to truly be comfortable. He brought his computer down from upstairs and had to buy a brand new desk chair, as there wasn't one before. He also had to decorate the desk with pictures of Heig, alongside the album of Ander. Besides that, it was perfect...

 

Quinn sat at his desk, watching the Sky Troopers below harass a helpless civilian. He wondered how Heig was doing in all this chaos. He hadn't heard from him since his email about the sniper rifle he had gotten for his birthday. Staring at an eight-month-old email made Quinn anxious but the quiet snoring from the grophet, which laid curled up on Quinn's lap, relaxed him somewhat. Quinn gently scratched the pup's head, as so not to wake him, but when a call came through on him holoterminal, it woke him up regardless.

 

Grophl whined in protest and Quinn was quick to comfort him, before answering the call. While the visage loaded in, Quinn whispered more loving words to Grophl, who soon fell asleep once more. A glitched image of a masked figure appeared and Quinn instantly knew who it was but as instructed, he waited to be spoken too.

 

"Malavai Quinn." A heavily distorted voice came through the speakers, disguising any hint of gender or accent. Quinn was hardly bothered by it at this point and happily responded. "Speaking." He said. "You are far too casual about all this..."

"It's easy to be when you do the same thing every time..." Quinn wanted to say more but knew it was better to wait until told otherwise. "...The connection is now secure." The figure said. "Had to be sure, son," Quinn said. The image glitched out once more but came back into focus with the visage of Heig Quinn. He looked somewhat annoyed but didn't comment on it.

 

"It's actually a big relief to see you weren't killed in the invasion, given your boss's political importance." Heig laughed but Quinn went silent. He supposed that he would have died if he had stayed back to try and save Ander. "He actually sacrificed himself so we could escape," Quinn said softly. Heig's previous smile dissipated when he saw his father's discomfort. "I... see. I'm sorry, dad, but I have to ask something of you." Despite the reignited sadness in his heart, Quinn wasn't going to ignore his son's queries. If he needed something that Quinn could provide, then he would help to the best of his ability.

 

"Yes, son, what is it?" Heig's eyes lit up with Quinn's response. "Imperial Intelligence is at a complete standstill because of the peace treaty. My boss confiscated my ship and told me to lay low before she left to do some super secret mission off-world..." Heig huffed in frustration before taking a breath and continuing. "I was wondering if you would know of a place where my crew and I could stay. I have been looking but then Kaas is so stuffed with natives and refugees, there is nothing available anywhere."

"How big is your crew? I have 3 beds available but you may have to forgo sleeping with your fiance as they are all twin beds..."

"...That's actually perfect, dad. One of my crew members is actually non-organic, so she doesn't require sleep and Raina doesn't mind, so long as you don't mind us being a little flirtatious from time to time." Heig chuckled, despite a quiet voice scolding him in the background. Quinn smiled. He was glad to hear the two bicker as it showed how close they had become. "Okay. I'll send you the coordinates." Quinn ended the call and sent the message. He then gently scooped up Grophl, carrying him as he left the room.

 

Quinn walked into the kitchen and found One sitting at the dining table. His eyes were closed, likely in a light meditation in case Quinn needed him. Quinn was about to say something when One spoke suddenly. "Your son and his crew are coming to live with us and don't kill him or his crew... please." One said sharply. His mind reading ability both intrigued and frightened Quinn. "Yes, exactly... thank you, One," Quinn said before turning away to return to his room. "Do..." Quinn stopped when he heard One begin again. "You want me to stop mind reading you? You seem to be uncomfortable when I do." He asked. Quinn was caught off guard by One's sudden sympathy but replied quickly. "Oh, no, it's fine. It doesn't bother me." One looked like he was going to object but Quinn beat him to it. "I'll be honest, I wasn't a big fan of it at first but I realize it has its perks and I'm starting to get used to it. I appreciate the thought, though, thank you." Quinn said. One nodded, going silent once more and returning to his meditation. One was a man of few words and his mere presence was enough to make the more powerful Sith want to avoid him but Quinn was thankful for his service. He had claimed that Ander's last order was for him to protect Quinn but he wondered how much of that was the truth. Quinn wandered into the foyer and took a seat on the couch, still holding the sleeping grophet, as he waited for Heig to arrive...

 

\------------------------

 

The sound of the elevator leaving the top floor, only to return a moment later, stole Quinn's attention. He laid Grophl on the couch, who slowly opened his eyes and lazily watched as Quinn stood up and waited in front of the elevator. The doors opened and Quinn's face lit up and a smile appeared on his face as he took Heig into his arms for a tight hug. Grophl immediately perked his ears up, beginning to synergize with Quinn's excitement. Soon, other people emerged from the elevator including a Rattataki girl, a unique looking droid, and Heig's fiance, Raina. Raina was not the first to notice Grophl, but she was the first to greet him with high pitched coos and flatteries. Quinn released Heig and turned his attention to his crew.

 

"Oh, dad, this is Kaliyo Djannis, Scorpio, and of course Raina," Heig said, pointing to the Rattataki girl, the droid and Raina in subsequent order. Raina looked up from the grophet and smiled. "It's wonderful to see you again, sir. I'm sorry for touching your pet without your permission; he is very cute." Raina said. Quinn bowed to her. "It is quite alright. Grophl actually loves to be loved on and he seems to like you." Quinn said, before turning to Kaliyo and Scorpio. He greeted them with the utmost respect but was met with a narrowed eye stare from Scorpio. Kaliyo snickered at the face Quinn had made in response. "Ah, it's okay pops. She does that with everyone. Being an overpowered death machine really drives a stick up her ass, if you know what I mean."

"Only to beings with as limited of an Intelligence as you, Kaliyo. I was merely analyzing him and found him to be superior in both physical limitations as well as brain capacity. Though I suppose the last one was obvious." Kaliyo turned to Scorpio with a fist, ready to strike when Heig intervened. "Alright you two, that's enough. Scorpio, my dad isn't used to your superiority complex, so you're going to have to ease him into it. And Kaliyo, I know I said you can be cool with me but my dad isn't like me. So try to be more polite." Heig said. Kaliyo groaned and made a disgruntled face, before a quiet, _“Fine”_ , escaped her lips. Scorpio seemed to react better than she had before but refused to comment on it. Heig returned to his father's side and tried his best to convince him that he wasn't making a huge mistake when One walked through the doorway.

 

It was as though time had slowed down for Heig. A bright red pureblood had come into his vision and out of instinctual fear, he drew his pistol and aimed it at One. Quinn barely had time to react, but One took care of it. In an instant, the gun flew from Heig's hand and bounced off the wall and onto the ground. Heig stared at One in the same pose for what felt like minutes. One hadn't hurt him, though. He simply pulled the gun from his hand with the Force and disposed of it. Quinn took Heig into his arms and did his best to calm him. "Heig, listen to me. It's okay. He won't hurt you, he isn't here to hurt you." At this point, Raina had gotten up from the couch and gone over to Heig's side. She had never seen him like that before and was understandably worried about him. Kaliyo was a bit surprised to see her boss freak out in such a way but decided not to get involved. Scorpio seemed to impress with One's abilities and continued to observe.

 

Quinn continued to reassure Heig until he eventually snapped out of his panic. Heig fell to his knees, taking short, fast breaths, before recomposing himself. He looked at One a moment before turning his attention to his father. "You didn't say you were living with a Sith." It sounded almost like a hiss like Heig's voice was filled with hatred and anger. One didn't appreciate the young man's tone and knelt down in front of him. Heig looked at him with a bit of fear at first, but it was soon replaced with anger and distrust. "I may be Sith but I serve him, not the other way around. Now watch your tongue, boy." One hissed. Heig was taken aback by One's words and looked to his father for clarification. Quinn sighed and helped Heig to his feet. "Heig, this is Servant One. He is the last surviving member of the former Emperor's Hand. He served my lord, the Emperor's Wrath, up until his..." Quinn stopped himself but continued shortly after. "As my lord's final request of him, he asked One to protect me and ensure my safety. I know this must be a lot to take in, but I assure you he will not hurt anyone here." Quinn finally said. Heig relaxed his body a bit and left his father's side to retrieve his gun. "I see..." Heig said as he reholstered his gun. He then slowly returned to Quinn's side before bowing before One. "I apologize for my behavior earlier. I was unaware you were allowed to be here and my instincts took over. Please forgive me." Heig said. Quinn was pleased that the lessons he taught and the behaviors he encouraged in Heig hadn't left him throughout his adulthood.

 

One didn't say anything but nodded, acknowledging Heig's request. He then left the room and returned to the kitchen. Heig watched the pureblood questionably but Quinn explained that was the best he was going to receive. Knowing that fighting it would lead to nothing gained, Heig dropped it. Quinn then escorted them to their rooms and beds. Heig was glad to learn that One never slept, so he could have a room to himself but was also disappointed that his father refused to let his fiance and him share a room, even with their promise to not do anything. Still, he was ever grateful for his father's generosity and reminded his crew of that as well.

  
Quinn retired to his room, with Grophl in tow, and took a moment to relax on the bed. Grophl ran up his little ramp and joined Quinn in laying belly up. Quinn looked to the little grophet, who had stuck his tongue out. "So, what'd you think of Heig? Do you like him?" Quinn asked but Grophl just tilted his head in response. He had never gotten the chance to actually meet Heig and didn't really know who he was. "Okay, how about Raina?" That, however, got Grophl rolling around in excitement and snorting with glee. Quinn watched the little pup tell him how much he loved Raina and wondered to himself, _What have I gotten myself into?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, if you noticed in the chapter it said that One had his eyes closed. Sometimes he takes off the visor for meditation and such but will keep his eyes closed so as not to trigger Quinn's PTSD. He will put his visor back on when he is done with meditation, which he did to go see Heig. Also One doesn't sleep because Force sensitive purebloods don't HAVE to sleep but they can. If they live off the Force, however, they don't need sleep, food, or anything else. Basically, I buffed purebloods.
> 
> Heig also has a slight episode in this chapter but only because he was unaware that One was even a factor. If he knew he was going to be there he wouldn't have freaked out. A small oversight on Quinn's side but it puts down the ground work for, like father like son they are both scarred for life.


	21. A New Opportunity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It won't be too long that you guys have to sit through Quinn only chapters, but I wanted to make them because I really liked the idea of seeing the behind the scenes and then seeing the aftermath. Of course, there will be story changing but yall should have guessed that by now.

It had been well over six months since Heig and his crew had moved in. Quinn had completely decided that he didn't much like Kaliyo or Scorpio. Kaliyo, because she reminded him of a ruder and louder Vette and Scorpio because she was everything he hated about AI. However, every time he thought he couldn't take any more of their antics, Quinn would watch that specific video of Ander telling him: _"How to rule the universe."_ Quinn remembered that day like it was yesterday but hadn't realized that he had actually recorded it.

  
_Ander would have become friends with them too..._ Quinn thought. So, he dealt with it.   
  
Heig had proven to be a handful, as was expected of him. He constantly argued with Quinn. Arguing who should do the laundry, who should cook, who should do the dishes, but at least he never argued who should take care of Grophl. Perhaps he realized how much that meant to Quinn. Still, Quinn was surprised Heig had so much drive to do something for him. There would be nights when he would go up to check on Heig, only to find him passed out on his desk, holopad in hand, working even in his exhaustion. _Like father like son_ , Quinn thought.   
  
Quinn never once peeked at what he was doing, always respectful of his son's work and privacy. He would just simply wake him enough to help him get into bed and leave the work, for Heig to handle in the morning. Quinn would just give Heig a goodnight kiss and leave the dark room.   
  
In the morning, Heig would always be so embarrassed and do his best to win Quinn over on doing something in return. To which Quinn would tell him, _"Give your fiance a good morning kiss and we shall be even."_ Raina seemed to like those mornings the best and Quinn was more than pleased to see the two love birds flirt with one another. It was cute.   
  
Quinn sighed audibly and Heig immediately shifted focus to his father. "Dad?" Quinn looked back at Heig with a slightly embarrassed shock. "Oh, I'm fine. Just thinking." Heig looked at him with a concerned look. "About?" Raina then sent an evil glare his way but Heig persisted. Quinn stopped washing the dishes at this point and stared into the bubbly pool of soap and water. "You wouldn't like to know."   
"Dad-" Heig was interrupted when Raina elbowed him, her glare intensified. "Heig, drop it." She whispered. Her glare was terrifying but his concern for his father was stronger. "Raina, something is wrong. He is depressed, I just know it." Heig whispered back. Raina grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer. "No shit, that was fucking obvious but you have made it very clear that you detest Sith and he very clearly misses one particular Sith."   
"How do you know that?"   
"I'm very observant." She smiled and he wondered just what she meant but finally decided not to push any further.   
  
In the time that they were quietly conversing amongst themselves, Quinn had finished and put up the dishes. He looked at the two and knew they were talking about himself but figured, once again, to leave them be. He left the kitchen and as he passed the foyer, a call came through on the wall holoterminal. Quinn quickly backtracked and went to answer it. He straightened his jacket, the same one that his lord had gifted him over two years ago, and waited for the connection to secure.   
  
One had integrated the apartment's systems into the old Emperor's Hand's secure frequency. Only approved numbers could get through and it took him a while to approve a few numbers, as it was just him doing it. Quinn had tried to help him, but he soon learned that the reason the frequency was secure was because everything was converted into an ancient Sith language and code. So ancient, in fact, that most Sith had never heard of it. One was the last living Sith to have learned the language in full from the Emperor himself.   
  
Once the call was secure, everything continued on as normal, but getting there took a little longer than other secure frequencies. The familiar visage of two young girls appeared and Quinn almost held his breath as they spoke. In part, he was afraid they would blame him for Ander's disappearance, but even they surprised him.   
  
"Captain Quinn, or would you prefer just Quinn?" Alessin asked. Though Aria shook her head. "No, sister, that was reserved for our brother. That's how it will remain." She said. Alessin nodded, a small tear escaping the vigilant exterior she had made for herself. "Captain." Quinn bowed to them. "The Dark Council has remade itself. We have volunteered to step down. Right now, our priority is focusing on getting our brother back, I'm sure you understand." Alessin said. Quinn watched them with an underlying sadness and nodded. He understood far too well. "Our brother..." Aria paused. "He did far too much for us, that we may never be able to repay. He cared for us, loved us, protected us when we never deserved it. He saved Darth Marr, you know." That surprised Quinn, but only for a moment. _Of course, he would._ Alessin did her best to laugh, but only managed a light chuckle. "The old fool walked into the Academy spitting and cursing like an old dog. He cursed us out for having a brother who cared far too much, just before stepping down himself. He said he wanted to fully dedicate himself to protecting the Empire, on and off the front lines."   
"Just before he left, he promised us he would find our brother and help bring him home. Well, we won't sit back on the sidelines while other people go out to find our family. He's all we have left, but we wanted to leave you with something." Aria said. Alessin nodded and let her sister continue. "Acina has named herself Empress and reformed the Dark Council. She will be a good ruler and we put in a good word for you. She needs someone with your skill set and we can imagine you need a little distraction in your life. We have told her everything she needs to know about you, so you may see her wearing sunglasses indoors, but..." Aria laughed softly. "We hope this helps the years go by faster until we bring him home. Don't give up Captain. He'll be back."   
  
The call ended with tears in Quinn's eyes but he wiped them away and saluted the terminal. He may have looked crazy but was ever so thankful for the twins. They didn't have to do that for him, but they thought of him nonetheless.   
  
Quinn returned to the kitchen to find everyone but One had left. "You are going to work for Acina." One said. "Perhaps. I can't say no but if I do, will you be able to look after Grophl while I am away?" Quinn asked. One shook his head. "I will be accompanying you. You will have to get someone else to watch him." One said. Quinn was disappointed but should have expected as much. He nodded and left the room.   
  
Quinn thought for a moment and at first, he figured Raina would be the perfect match but he still wasn't sure. He wanted Heig and Grophl to bond since Heig had been pretty much avoiding the pup since they met. Quinn finally decided to just go ahead and ask Heig. If he says no, then Raina would gladly do it, but he had to try.   
  
Quinn knocked on Heig's door and waited a moment before entering. It wasn't locked but it was more polite to knock. Heig was at his desk, working as usual when Quinn walked in. He immediately turned to his father and gave him his full attention. "Yes, dad? What is it?" Heig asked. Quinn smiled slightly. "I actually have some good news," Quinn said and Heig was instantly intrigued. "My lord's twin sisters, who are former Dark Council members, called to inform me that I may soon have a job in serving Empress Acina," Quinn said. Honestly, he was almost excited to be working again but he noticed that Heig didn't show any expression of the sort. "That's great dad, but I had heard some chatter through other Intelligence sources and heard your name a buzz. That explains that I suppose." Heig said. "Wait, just wait for a second," Quinn was a little bit confused and surprised that Heig was keeping tabs on him but was perhaps overreacting a bit. "You _what_ ?" Quinn asked. Heig sighed. "Whenever I hear your name pop up on multiple channels I instantly start keeping tabs. I..." Heig paused, thinking of the best way to say it. "I start to worry when people start to talk about you. I'm worried that not all of it is good and that someone might be out to get you or something... Sorry if it comes off as creepy but I just want to look out for you."   
  
Quinn breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, Heig." Quinn walked up to him and hugged him. "Thank you, but I would never let anyone take me away from you." Heig returned his hug, thankful for his understanding. "But, now I have something to ask of you." Quinn started.   
  
  
Quinn left Heig's room, pleased that he had agreed to take care of Grophl in his absence. Quinn returned to his own room to find Grophl laid out on their bed. "Hey, boy," Quinn said as he laid down beside the grophet. Grophl flopped over, onto his belly, and scooted towards the man, all while snorting and trying his hardest to kiss him. Quinn let him kiss him a couple of times before having to tell him to stop.   
  
Quinn scratched the little pup behind the ears, his favorite spot, before telling him the big news. He had some reservations but knew Grophl would come to understand. He was a smart pup. "Grophl, I have something very important to tell you." Grophl raised his ears up straight, giving his full attention. "You remember your master's sisters, right?" Grophl snorted a common signal that meant _yes_. Quinn continued. "Well, they helped me get a job. Now, before you ask," Grophl tilted his head. "I will be leaving every morning but will be returning every evening. In the meantime, I doubt you can hold it all day." Quinn paused to look at Grophl, who looked away and pulled his legs under his belly. Quinn couldn't help but laugh at the gesture, before continuing. "So, while I am away during the day, my son, Heig, will be taking care of you." Grophl looked at Quinn with a look that, he could only describe as suspicious disbelief. "I know, I doubt he will do as good a job as I do, but you have to keep him in line. Make his life miserable if you have to. You are _officially_ allowed to pee on him if he gives you a hard time." Quinn said and Grophl immediately began to snort happily. Quinn knew he would be alright, but still, he worried.   
  
\---------------------   
  
Later that evening, Quinn received an official Imperial Military email, which stated he had been promoted to the rank of Major to go along with his new position as Empress Acina's personal Tactician. Quinn was surprised that she required something so specific but thinking about the threat that loomed just beyond their borders, he quickly realized why he was needed. Alongside that email, was another from Acina, herself, giving him her personal holofrequency. She stated that she preferred to have her staff on a first name basis and establish trust early. Both Quinn and Heig saw this as something less than honest, but One assured them both that he would keep Quinn safe. That seemed to relax the two a bit, as Heig had seen was One was capable of in practice sessions.   
  
Everyone was abuzz in celebration at Quinn's promotion but a part of his heart stung. A part of his life was officially coming to a close. The times with Ander were over... Quinn didn't want to believe that it could be years before he is reunited with his lord, but if it took that long, he would wait. Wait until he could see him again...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, if you were wondering how Ander is holding up, here is a dramatization:
> 
> Ander: "I'll never see him again!!! He's probably dead!! Can I die?! Please?! I wanna see him so bad!!"
> 
> Valkorion: "I just had to choose a suicidal vessel, didn't I?"
> 
> Ander: "What?..."
> 
> Valkorion: "Uh- It's okay. You'll see him again..."


	22. Three Years and Two Months

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The inspiration high is real...

The first meeting with Acina had gone well. Apparently, she was present for Baras' end and was very familiar with One. She was quick in allowing One to accompany Quinn every day. Though Quinn was sure One had threatened her but he didn't wish to comment on it. Quinn was also surprised that Acina had chosen Moff Lorman to be her Minister of Logistics, but perhaps she had her reasons. She later pulled Quinn aside to ask him to keep Lorman in line as she suspected that he may seek to cut corners with his work. Quinn agreed and asked One to keep an eye on him, as he expected nothing less from the Mof- Minister. He still wasn't used to the title change.  
  
Getting back home to Grophl and Heig was an absolute relief. Quinn believed in Heig but of course he worried that his only son and his fuzzy son wouldn't get along, but apparently, the feeling was misplaced. Raina told him of how Heig had actually stopped working for an hour to play with Grophl. To which Heig interjected that they weren't 'playing', but Grophl had stolen his holopad and refused to give it back. Grophl was far too pleased with himself. Quinn was glad things would work out... for a while at least.   
  
\----------------------   
  
Two years of the same old routine, things had gotten easier. Grophl and Quinn still had their times when they needed each other, but it was far less frequent. Quinn had also decided to let Raina and Heig sleep together when he bought them a new king-sized bed. As promised, they didn't do anything but promised to be safe if they did. Quinn loved raising his son but he didn't want any surprise grandchildren.   
  
Still, though there were days when he would think of Ander. Those days were the hardest, but Grophl was right there with him. Quinn knew he wouldn't be able to do it without him.   
  
Thankfully, Quinn would be off for a couple of months, seeing as he had worked for eight months straight without a day off. As was customary in the military, but he wasn't used to it, that was for sure.   
  
Quinn wasn't quick to get out of bed that day. He could feel it in the pit of his stomach; it was one of those days. He looked to Grophl, who was nestled into his neck and sighed. The grophet was awake in seconds and proceeded to smother Quinn with kisses. Grophl always seemed to know when Quinn was feeling depressed. He honestly just wanted to lay in bed for the rest of the day, but a knock on his door told him otherwise. "One moment," Quinn said as forced himself to get up and get dressed. He finally understood how Ander felt all those years ago. Now, he knew what that kind of pain felt like. It didn't hurt, not physically, but it weighed down on your heart like you were forced to carry large stones all day.   
  
Quinn had received a new uniform for his rank but when he wasn't at work, he wore the old jacket. The one that wasn't for his rank or even his career. Heig had pointed out that it was an Intelligence officer jacket, and of course, Quinn knew that but he never had the heart to correct his lord. Still, Quinn pulled his arms through it and it felt like he carried a piece of Ander with him. He hurried to the door and answered it. Of course, Heig was on the other side, probably to check on him, as he did every morning that he was late.   
  
"Dad, I have something to tell you," Heig said as he stepped in. Quinn was almost loathing it but didn't turn him away. "Yes, son?" Quinn asked as he sat on the bed. Heig looked at the Historian's machine for a moment before looking back at Quinn. "Yes... well. I'm sending Kaliyo and Scorpio out to Zakuul for reconnaissance. I knew you would be pleased to learn of their leave-"   
"Wait, you are sending them into the heart of enemy territory? What if they are killed?"   
"They know the risks," Heig said. Quinn hated that about Imperial Intelligence. Just because they know the risks, it's perfectly fine to send them to their deaths. "Heig," Quinn was pissed. "What if it was you?" He asked.   
  
Heig looked at his father with a solemn expression and nodded. "It has been me, before. My team, my crew, are the best in the field. They will be fine. I'll remain here and track them, all while feeding them information and deciding their next moves. They won't do anything without my permission." Heig explained. Quinn was still concerned but he trusted Heig. "Okay, I see," Quinn said softly. "Also," Quinn looked up at Heig. "What is that?" Heig pointed to the Historian's machine and all the entertainment systems next to it. Quinn smiled and went over to it. "Do you want to see it? It contains some very special files." Quinn said as he booted up the machine's screen...   
  
\---------------------------   
  
Quinn and One made their way to Lorman's office. Once again, Acina tasked the Minister with more than delicate work but asked Quinn to keep an eye on him. Quinn was loathing having to converse with the Minister. His temper and voice alone made Quinn want to end him, but he endured it. One sensed the uneasiness and slight anger radiating off of Quinn but didn't comment. They reached Lorman's office to hear him raising a fit to a poor guard. It was something about his title, but Quinn didn't care enough to pay attention.   
  
"Minister Lorman." Lorman shut his mouth and immediately turned towards Quinn, who was glaring at the poor excuse of a soldier. Lorman straightened his back and signaled the guard to leave. "Ah, Major, nice of you to join me. Now that your bodyguard is here, these idiots won't be needed." Lorman glared at the two guards next to his desk, who were thankful to be able to leave. One, on the other hand, did not appreciate his assumption. "I protect him, not you." One said. Lorman backed away from the Sith, obviously threatened by him. "Uh- Ah. Yes. Of course." He turned to Quinn and whispered. "Could you please muzzle your guard dog?"   
  
Quinn had just about had it with Lorman's attitude and pinned him to the wall. He pulled out his gun and shoved the barrel into Lorman's throat, right under his jaw. "Call him by any racial slur or offensive nickname again, and I will fire a shot through your mouth. Now you better get this job done correctly, or I will be back to fulfill on this promise." Quinn said, before slowly reholstering his gun and releasing Lorman. Quinn rejoined One next to the door, before leaving with him. As they made their way back to Acina, One spoke. "You do realize, that would not kill him." One said. "Exactly," Quinn said, before going silent once more.


	23. He Lives

Five years had passed since the Eternal Empire invaded. It almost seemed like the time with Ander was nothing more than a lucid dream Quinn had once, but as Quinn was getting ready for work, one morning. One suddenly entered his room without warning. Thankfully he already had his trousers on, but he was far from ready. Still, One never entered his room without knocking first. There had to be a good reason for his intrusion.  
  
"He lives. His presence is stronger than ever." One said and Quinn wasn't quite sure who he was talking about until it clicked. Ander. "Wait, but you said he lived before. Are you saying he was dead then but somehow revived?" Quinn was a little confused by One's cryptic wording. One shook his head. "Not dead. Perhaps in stasis or in carbonite. Barely alive. Ever present, yet not. It's hard to explain the feeling." That seemed to clear some things up, but One still felt like he had more to say. "Now, it is stronger. His presence came back to me like a crashing wave. He has been liberated." He finished. Quinn understood and the wave of relief and happiness was overwhelming. He would definitely have to tell Grophl the good news when he got home, later that day.  
  
~---------------~  
  
_Though things were not to remain cheerful for them. It would still be a great deal of time before Quinn would get the chance to see Ander. Although Arcann's reign would come to a close, a new threat in the form of his sister, Vaylin, would take the Eternal Empire's fleet and rain destruction down upon defenseless planets. One such planet was Voss, which had almost no means of defense, and as such the people who worked and lived on that planet were thought to be slaughtered. No one dared raise an army against the Eternal Fleet. However, a new faction, of which seemed to come out of nowhere, rallied to their defense. Their Commander fought to save the Voss, Imperials and Republic who were trapped planetside. Thanks to him and the Alliance fleet, several hundred Imperials survived the onslaught, when there were predicted to be none._ __  
__  
_Acina had found particular interest in the Alliance's strength then and talked often of how much good it would do to have them as an ally. Quinn couldn't say he didn't agree with her but the Commander's history of saving Republic troops as well as Imperial troops made the whole thing much more complicated. It was incredibly likely that the Alliance didn't want to seek a partnership but Acina thought otherwise. She asked Imperial Intelligence to reach out to the Alliance so that she may be able to meet with the Commander. This was surprisingly fruitful, as one of the Alliance advisors, Lana Beniko, used to be Imperial Intelligence's former Commander in Chief. Lana was more than gracious to allow Acina an audience on Dromund Kaas._ __  
__  
_Quinn and One were a bit surprised to hear this, while Lorman seemed suspiciously excited to hear the news. One instantly felt something ominous about the Minister's behavior but Acina refused to listen. She made sure to notify them that in order for their talk to go well, Quinn and One must make themselves scarce. She didn't want any interruptions from anyone. Quinn respectfully agreed but told One to keep his senses sharp... They were going to keep an eye on Lorman._  
  
~---------------~  
  
The Alliance Commander had come and gone with Acina, to have a peaceful shuttle ride to talk things out. As promised, Quinn and One remained out of sight but the building's security room did show them a glimpse of their initial meet up. Quinn was breathless and speechless as he looked upon those deep blue eyes and crimson hair, once more. "My lord..." He whispered beneath his breath. The years had been kind to him, and Quinn couldn't be happier, but as the feed switched perspectives, a growing anger grew inside him.  
  
On the screen, Lorman was talking fairly loudly, right next to the security camera. He was gloating about killing the Commander and Acina all at once, until the person he was calling corrected him. They reported finding no bodies, which meant they still lived. Lorman yelled at them to hurry it up or they would receive no payment, before hanging up. Quinn didn't waste a second as he left the room and march towards Lorman's office. He drew his gun and told One to hang back, as he barged through the doorway and shot the two battle droids next to Lorman.  
  
The Minister jumped as his droids were decimated in two shots. He turned to face the individual responsible, probably expecting to see the Commander's advisors. However, upon seeing a very pissed off Quinn head his way, the Minister immediately tried to diffuse the situation. From the doorway, One watched as Lorman barely got a peep out as Quinn kicked him in the gut, causing the poor man to recoil in pain. Quinn grabbed Lorman and pinned him against his table.  
  
"You pathetic excuse of a man. Where is my lord?!" Quinn wanted to just put a shot in his forehead, but then he may never get his lord back. "W-Who?" Lorman cowardly shrank beneath Quinn's gun. "The Alliance Commander, you twit. Where is he?!" Quinn was getting increasingly angry with Lorman, as he continued to dodge the question. "Oh- um. I guess you may have not heard but there was an accident and their shuttle crashed-" Quinn shoved the barrel of his gun into Lorman's mouth, interrupting him. "Then you better pray that they live or I will end your life in the most painful way possible." Lorman was halfway between gagging and screaming at that point. "Find him and maybe then, you will live." Quinn released the Minister, who ran from the room in a panic. One watched, as he quickly made his way to the speeder platform, before turning to Quinn. "He's going to find them." He said. "Good." Quinn breathed.  
  
~---------------~  
  
Thankfully, Ander and Acina were very much alive and safe. They had all returned with Lorman, much as Quinn had suspected. Of course, Ander would teach others to forgive. Quinn stood behind the wall, next to the doorway that separated them. From there, he could almost hear the smile Ander wore as he spoke. Ander said his goodbyes to Acina and left with his advisors, soon after. It was comforting to know he was alive and happy...  
  
However, Lorman just had to ruin the moment as he walked through the passage and recoil in fear upon laying eyes on Quinn standing there. Quinn glared at him, and he quickly left to go to his office. Acina just so happened to witness the entire exchange and turned to look at Quinn.  
  
"I suspect you were the captain he was constantly going on about and the rabid dog the Minister feared?" She asked. Quinn was surprised to hear that Ander mentioned him. "Yes..." He answered. Acina tilted her head slightly. "And you want to return to his side then?" She asked and Quinn nodded. "Then you must do something for me before I can allow that."  
"Anything." Acina smiled at Quinn's eagerness. "Ensure he chooses us to be his one and only ally."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so excited. I must write more!!! 
> 
> Inner Me: If you keep pumping out chapters like this you'll burn out! You need a break!
> 
> Me: *Vibrating from the inspiration high* Never....


	24. Reunion

Months later, things seemed to be going exceptionally well. The hot topic of every news station, was the defeat of Vaylin and how the Alliance Commander had claimed the Eternal Throne and calmed the Eternal Fleet. They also featured the Commander's peaceful message to the galaxy. Many Sith had voiced their disapproval the following weeks but were ultimately shut down by Acina. She had put much of what Ander had discussed with her, into practice and while many Dark Side Sith resisted the change, eventually they too fell into line. The Empire was becoming more of what it originally stood for, but it was still a ways off before any real change would be seen.

 

Acina was still trying to convert the Alliance into a permanent ally, when Intelligence came to her with an urgent report. The report stated that an anonymous source tipped them off of the Alliance being in possession of several high grade quantum bombs. The anonymous tip also reported that they were willing to use them, in order to convince the Empire and Republic to submit to them. Acina looked absolutely furious but tried her best to remain rational. She ordered Intelligence to confirm the reports with Lana. However, Intelligence said they had already tried that when the tip was first received. At worst, they reported all calls to have been dropped and at best, Lana only said she would look into it. No definitive answer was given and Acina was not taking the news well. Quinn did his best to calm her but she was too angry to listen to reason. Quinn was beginning to think she may wish to wage war against the Alliance... Until a call came through Acina's personal holoterminal.

 

Acina answered the call with great haste and anger, about to yell at whoever was on the other end. Lana's visage appeared before her and Acina hesitated her rant. "Oh, so now you wish to talk? Speak quickly then." Acina said. Lana raised an eyebrow at her, before speaking. "My agents report mysterious messages being sent to the Empire with signatures similar to our own. My colleague and I are in the process of trying to clear things up but we will require your cooperation..."

 

Lana and Acina went back and forth for a good hour until an agreement was made. Acina informed Quinn that the time to fulfill his promise to her had come. The Empire and the Republic had been invited to a formal gathering, on Zakuul, to hopefully, peacefully, discuss the accusations of the quantum bomb threats. However, this meant no weapons were permitted to enter the building.

 

Quinn was confused as to why a party had to be held during negotiations but Acina explained that the party is just a cover up. Although she plans to use it to allow Quinn a chance to talk to the Commander before the actual meeting. Quinn was anxious to use such an underhanded approach but Acina assured that the Republic would no doubt do the same. Quinn finally agreed to the whole thing but Acina had one more thing to address. One was not to be seen with Quinn. One was about to object, when Quinn intervened. He claimed that One could simply be elsewhere, listening in. One was hesitant at first but eventually gave in. Acina was pleased by their cooperation and dismissed them.

 

Later that day, Quinn arrived home to find Heig and Grophl waiting for him. Heig stood up from the pup's bed and approached his father. "I'm sure you were informed of the meeting on Zakuul..." Heig started. Quinn was silent but nodded; Heig continued. "Acina wants all available agents to attend as well and pet sitting won't be enough to convince them that I'm unavailable. So you might have bring him with you." Quinn scoffed at the suggestion. "Yes, as if they would allow me to bring a live animal into a formal party. Honestly, Heig, I'm surprised you thought that would work-"

"As a normal pet..." Quinn went silent and Heig continued. "You are right. Under normal circumstances, this would not work, but as a therapy pet-"

"Are you serious? You registered him as a therapy pet?"

"Dad, he might as well be one. He's always by your side when you need him to be. You don't think-"

"And what if they still turn him away? What then?"

"Zakuul has very similar laws to the Empire when it comes to service and therapy pets. I even got a service vest made for him today." Heig pointed at the harness and vest that Grophl wore. Quinn rubbed his face with his hands. He couldn't believe Heig was seriously suggesting such a thing.

 

"What if-"

"Dad. There won't be any weapons in the building. It will be fine. Even if something happens, I'll be around to help. Don't worry." Quinn worried, of course he did, but Heig continued to reassure him until he eventually gave in to the idea. Grophl jumped up from his bed and ran over to Quinn, ready to go on an adventure with him.

 

~---------------~

 

The night of the gathering came and Quinn was nervous as hell. Despite his best judgement, he had worn his old uniform and hadn't realized until One commented on it, at the spaceport. At that point it was too late to change but One reassured him it would actually help his chances with Ander. That and Grophl's occasional kisses greatly calmed him. So, there Quinn stood, Grophl had his little vest on and was leashed to his belt. He looked down at the pup, who traded a gaze up to him. Quinn took a deep breath and quickly contacted One. "You there, One."

"Yes. I can hear everything. I will tell you if I hear anything out of the ordinary."

"Alright." Quinn ended the transmission and made his way to the entrance.

 

As expected, the guards up front stopped Quinn and brought him to the side. The guard didn't even bother to look at Grophl. "Sorry, sir. No pets allowed."

"He's a therapy pet. I have severe PTSD and he helps me avoid triggers." Quinn said it just as Heig had instructed and finally the guard actually looked down at Grophl and saw the vest. He entered something into his holopad and allowed both Quinn and Grophl entry. Quinn was absolutely relieved and ordered Grophl to stay close as they made their way through the crowd. Quinn searched the crowd for any sign of Ander but didn't see him anywhere.

 

Eventually he found an available bench and rested there for a moment. The entire crowd was preoccupied by their alcoholic beverages and tales of boring grandeur. It was almost exhausting to watch them. Quinn rested his head against the wall behind him, just for a moment, when he started to feel Grophl tugging at his belt. Quinn held his belt steady so Grophl couldn't move it, until he felt a release in tension.

 

He instantly looked down to see Grophl had somehow been able to disconnect himself from the leash and was looking back at Quinn, while running back and forth in a certain direction. He instantly recognized the behavior and got up to follow the pup. Grophl zig-zagged past multiple party guests, dashing with a purpose. Quinn did his best to keep up with him, while also not bumping into anyone, but once he was on the other side of the crowd, Quinn stopped in his tracks.

 

"Grophl? Hey boy, what are you doing here...?" Ander trailed off as he looked up to see Quinn standing before him. He was breathing a little faster than normal and it definitely looked like he had just been out for a jog, but otherwise... Grophl snapped Ander out of thoughts with a small bark, before returning to Quinn's side. Quinn neglected to thank the pup right then, but he had time for that later. "My lord..." was all Quinn could say before he was nearly tackled by Ander, who hugged him without a second thought.

 

Quinn was more than eager to return the hug, but as he did, Ander must have misunderstood and released him. “Oh, sorry. I forgot you aren’t too fond of hugs, I’ll ask next time. I just really missed you and- sorry.” Ander was sporadic in his delivery but Quinn hardly minded. He shook his head and smiled. “My lord, it is alright. This is a more than appropriate reason to hug someone.” Ander’s eyes lit up in response. “Then, I’m good to hug you?” He asked and Quinn nodded. Ander wasted no time in continuing the previous hug, almost picking Quinn off the ground. After a moment he released Quinn and smiled at him.

 

“It’s felt like ages since we’ve last talked. How long has it been, Quinn?” Ander asked. Normally, Quinn wouldn’t answer such a personal question but perhaps he needed to be reminded, as well. “Six years, eight months and twelve days, my lord.” Quinn smiled as he looked up at Ander… Wait? Up?

 

Quinn put his hands on either side of Ander’s shoulders and finally he realized Ander was at least five inches taller, but he couldn’t figure out why. “My lord, correct me if I’m wrong but have you grown taller?” Quinn asked, but he was sure Ander had finished growing when he turned twenty, thought it could have been possible he had a little more to go. Still five inches seemed to be a bit of a stretch. “Oh! Oh, no. I just got new boots. My old ones crumpled up into scrap metal- um, these have shock absorbers, but I’m still my old height when I take them off.” Ander laughed a bit and bent his knees to be at Quinn’s eye level.

 

For a split second, Quinn almost felt like time had stopped as he peered into Ander’s soft eyes. How much he had missed them and the man they were attached to. He wanted so badly to hug Ander, once more, but was interrupted when he heard someone shout in his direction. In a very short amount of time, Ander looked away from Quinn, stood up and walked to stand in front of him.

 

Lana stopped in her tracks. “Commander. That man is with Empress Acina, you shouldn’t be talking to him until the meeting-” Lana paused when Ander’s glare intensified on her. “Lana…”

“Commander…”

“Eyes.” Lana looked at him with confusion and tried to make her point again but Ander cut her off. “You need to change your eye color. Now.” Ander ordered. Lana shifted anxiously, before closing her eyes and opening them, once more, to show clear green eyes. “There, happy? Now will you please explain yourself?” She asked. Ander glanced back and stepped aside. “This is Quinn. He was a former member of my crew and will be once again, as soon as he is able. Right?” He asked and Quinn nodded. Lana stood silent. “I see. Then, I’ll give you until the meeting to catch up. Excuse me.” Lana said, before leaving the room and returning to the second floor.

 

Ander looked back at Quinn again. “Sorry about her, she can be a little pushy.” Quinn nodded, letting Ander continue. “So, when would be a good time to expect you? I mean, if you don’t mind moving to Odessan, I left a room for you and Grophl because I knew you would-” Ander stopped when he noticed Quinn had remained silent. “Quinn, are you okay?” He asked, his expression filled with worry.

 

“I’m sorry, my lord, but Acina won’t let me join you unless you vow to give your support to the Empire alone. I accepted without hesitation only because I so desperately wanted to return to your side, but now… I know that isn’t what you stand for and I’m so sorry.” Quinn was incredibly ashamed for his actions. Grophl whined and pawed at his pant leg, trying to comfort him. Ander gently hugged Quinn, once more.

 

“Then,” Quinn looked back up to his lord. “If that’s what it takes, okay.”

“My lord-”

“Hey, it’s okay. Everyone knew I was going to do it anyway.” Ander smiled down at Quinn, before bending down and reconnecting Grophl’s leash. He pet the pup as he stood back up. “Nice disguise, buddy.” Grophl stood up straight, sticking his little chest out, and barked. “The meeting will start in a little bit, I’ll see you there?” Ander asked. Quinn nodded and watched as Ander left the room, running up the stairs to rejoin Lana.

 

Quinn checked the time and realized that perhaps his lord had underestimated the time left, as there was well over thirty minutes until the meeting. However, Quinn soon noticed that Ander had two people with him when he had initially seen him and they were still standing there, looking at him. He soon realized who they were and almost jumped back, but resisted the urge. “Are you… Arcann and Vaylin?” He asked. They both nodded and somehow, they both seemed a bit shy, which was honestly surprising. “Then… My lord forgave both of you?” He asked and they nodded again.

“Um, so, are you really Malavai Quinn?” Vaylin asked shyly. “Yes, why?” Quinn asked. Both of their eyes lit up with pure bliss and a smile grew on their faces. They looked kind of cute, in a way, Quinn thought. This time Arcann had stepped forward. “The Commander has told us many great things about you.” He said. “Oh, really?” Quinn asked and they both rambled off the multiple stories they were told, until it was time for Quinn to join Acina for the meeting…

 

~---------------~

 

Quinn stood next to Acina with renewed resolution. He was going to bear through this and quickly rejoin his lord and everything was going to be fine. Jace Malcom, the Republic’s Supreme Commander, and Elara Dorne, the Republic’s Army Captain, stood directly across the large table before them. Quinn and Acina stood closer to the door, while Jace and Dorne stood closer to the window on the opposite side of the room. The tension in the room was extremely thick, so much so, Quinn wouldn’t be surprised if someone suffocated in there.

 

Only a few minutes had passed, when Ander, Lana and Theron, Ander’s third advisor, joined them. “What took you so long? I would have thought the mighty Alliance Commander would have been more considerate of other people’s time.” Jace said harshly. Theron slammed his hands on the table. “Shut your mouth, _father._ The Commander was helping us ensure there would be no interruptions.” Theron barked. “Theron…” Ander hushed and Theron relaxed. “Now, there has obviously been a huge misunderstanding. We haven’t sent any messages to either of you-”

 

“Bullshit. It’s obvious now that you and the Imps are in this together. Once a Sith, always a Sith.” Quinn was about to interject when he watched Jace reach for and pull out a gun. He proceeded to point it at Ander and pull the trigger. Quinn barely had time to react, when Ander was shoved aside and the blaster shot hit-

 

Heig’s cloak lowered as soon as he lunged for Ander. A burning pain struck his chest and pushed him back against the door. Quinn’s eyes widened and he immediately left Acina to rush to his son’s side. “Heig!” Quinn shouted as he knelt down, next to him. “No, no, no, no. Not my baby, please. Heig…” Quinn couldn’t think straight as he tried to find a pulse.

 

Theron looked to Lana, who picked Heig up and helped him out of the room. “Come on. Let’s get him to the infirmary.” She said to Quinn, who followed her out. Theron then turned back to Ander, who’s eyes were no longer blue. Theron gasped and stepped away from him.

 

A voice filled Ander’s mind. _Ander? Calm down, he will be fine. Ander, you need to stop. Hey!_ However, Ander ignored the voice and his eyes glowed red but quickly shifted to contain yellow spikes of color, erupting from his pupils. Dorne quickly backed away to the window, as Acina watched on in horror. In a split second, Jace was reduced to a puddle of blood on the floor. Theron had blinked once, and Jace Malcom was no more. It terrified him, to be honest, but he didn’t have long to think about it before Ander passed out and fell to the floor.

 

~---------------~

 

Ander awoke to that same voice in his head. _You’ve done it now, Ander. The Republic is super pissed that you killed the only good soldier they had._ Ander grumbled as he regained consciousness. _Shut up, Tenebrae. You’re giving me a headache._ Tenebrae laughed at him. _Hah, no. That’s the concussion you suffered when you slammed against the marble floor._ Ander rubbed his eyes, as he opened them to Quinn watching over him.

 

“My lord.” Quinn said softly. Ander shot up and immediately regretted it. Quinn pushed him back down. “You need more rest, my lord.” Ander groaned through his pounding headache. “Your son, is he okay?” Ander asked. Quinn smiled. “Yes, it only hit his shoulder. I may have overreacted a bit…” Quinn said, but Ander shook his head. “No, of course you didn’t. He’s your son, you had every excuse to overreact.” Ander said. Quinn smiled, once more. “Thank you, my lord.” Quinn hummed.

 

 _So?_ Ander silently asked the Force ghost floating just above him. _So, what?_ Tenebrae shot back. _What happened…?_ Ander asked. _Ah, right, you don’t remember. You reduced Jace Malcom to a bloody pulp. In 0.24 seconds too._ Tenebrae said. Ander covered his mouth in utter shock and Quinn was worried he was about to be ill. “I… I killed Malcom…” Ander said through his hand. “What? How?” He asked. Quinn checked his temperature, worried if perhaps he may be suffering from other things as well.

  
_I already told you. You crushed him with the Force. I tried to stop you but you wouldn’t listen- or couldn’t listen._ Tenebrae explained but Ander was still having a mental breakdown. _Hey, listen. You’re making him worry._ Ander looked to Quinn, who was incredibly worried and scared for him. _There was nothing you could have done, Ander. You went berserk. You had no control at that point. Stop blaming yourself and focus on him, for now._ Ander took a deep breath and calmed himself. “Okay.” Ander started. “I’m fine, now. Promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote Iokath part 2 out. Sorry fam, but I like this better. Also, yay, reunion!


	25. Odessan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, officially this is the longest chapter at 9 pages on google docs, which somehow still exists but also doesn't. Hmmm... Perhaps I should change my shortcuts.

The day had finally come, Acina signed Quinn's reassignment papers and said he would be able to keep the apartment, however it would have to be in his name. Quinn didn't mind the technicality, as he was sure he could just sign it back over to his lord later. In the meantime, Quinn, One, Heig and, of course, Grophl, had to pack up only the necessities and leave for Odessan. Thankfully, Intelligence gave back Heig's ship and so they'd be taking that. Quinn was excited to reunite with Ander more than anything else but when he saw Heig's solemn expression, his fatherly instincts kicked in.  
  
"Heig?" Heig looked away from the ship controls, just a moment, before turning back to them. Quinn sighed and sat in the chair on the other side of the galaxy map. "Son, what's wrong?" Quinn had noticed Raina was gone but perhaps she was sent on some kind of mission. Heig huffed but just decided he might as well tell him. His dad was an excellent listener and never once judged Heig for any of his emotional turmoil. "The Chiss Ascendancy sent Raina an emergency recall. She said she owed them everything and left last night..." Heig went silent and focused on running the ship's diagnostic scan. Quinn knew Heig would be alright, he was just lonely without his future wife. Quinn stood up once more and went over to Heig, patting him on the back and landing a kiss on top of his head. "It'll get easier Heig. It's when you're missing them, that you fall deeper in love with them." Quinn gave Heig one last loving pat, before leaving the bridge. A moment of silence passed when Heig realized that his own father was in love with the Alliance Commander. Of course, he took a hit for the guy but not for that reason. He was doing it for political reasons but if his dad was in love, after raising him for twenty-five years, then, hell yes, he would support him. He still missed Raina horribly, but he doubted she would mind if he decided to concentrate all his efforts on helping his dad get a boyfriend. First, however, he had to get the blasted ship ready for takeoff. He was never going to let Intelligence hold his ship ever again.  
  
Quinn settled into the couch, across the room from the Holoterminal and had to admit that the ship was very nice to look at, but Quinn missed his bunk on the Fury. Regardless of what living condition he had now, at least he would soon be back at Ander's side. Quinn relaxed into his seat, with Grophl, in his carrier, next to him.

  
  
Ander waited patiently in the Alliance Base docking bay. Quinn had called him to let him know how far out they were, which was at least thirty minutes. He wanted to be there to welcome him, so he left Jaesa in charge on Lana and Theron. Those two would love nothing more than to drag him away to sign contracts and other menial things. They were the ones who were supposed to do that but they always wanted his input. _Not this time._ Ander thought. This time he was going to do what he wanted to do.  
  
Just then, a Phantom class ship landed in the docking bay and Ander suspected that Quinn was on it. _Hey, Tenebrae, you awake?_ Ander asked but only received silence. _Good,_ Ander thought. Tenebrae would often go dormant inside his mind, making it very difficult to detect his aura. If Tenebrae was awake, he would no doubt freak out One, who he could clearly feel was on that ship as well.

 

One offered to get the luggage, while Heig and Quinn went on ahead. Of course, Quinn wanted to offer help but knew One wouldn't have it. They had survived through so much together and Quinn wanted to be able to thank him somehow, but he couldn't think of anything to give or do for him. For now, though, Quinn held Grophl's carrier in his hands and stepped off the ship with Heig.  
  
Heig looked over at his dad as they exited the ship and the look of pure joy that he wore on his face was comforting. He definitely wanted his dad to be happy, no matter what.  
  
Quinn watched as Ander made his way over to them. _Finally._ He thought. Quinn walked up to him, stopping just a few steps away from him. Ander smiled that gentle smile he always did and Heig instantly saw that... the feeling was mutual. Heig was dumbfounded that his dad had a crush on a guy who had an obvious crush on him. How did he not know? The anxious shifting, the nervous yet genuine smile, not to mention his ears were starting to blush. Heig wanted so badly to tell them... "It will only fall on deaf ears..." Heig looked at One, who stood beside him, now. "They are too absorbed in their own fabricated reality that they won't believe it unless it comes from each other." One said. Heig felt like he was going to have a headache. "You mean to tell me, my dad doesn't believe the Commander could ever reciprocate his feelings? Have you tried telling him?" Heig asked. "Yes. I thought it would erase his depression, or at least lessen it... it did not. It made his mental state crash even further. That's when I stopped trying." Heig wanted to scream. He couldn't believe the absolute bullshit between those two but knew he'd have to deal with it if his father was ever to be happy. Heig finally decided to join his father, who was happily chatting with the Commander. One would join them, once he had collected all the luggage.

  
  
Ander was so glad to know that Quinn had been safe all those years. That was the one thing he was most worried about. Though, Ander got the shock of his life when Heig walked up to him, as well. Ander went completely silent and tried to process why there was two Quinns?? Quinn wondered why Ander was so speechless but Heig managed to offer some insight. "Dad, I was wearing a helmet during the meeting. This is, essentially, the first time he has seen my face." He said. Quinn laughed loudly, realizing that Ander was most definitely very confused. "I'm sorry, my lord. I recognized Heig that night because of his custom made white suit. I forgot that he just so happens to be my spitting image, forgive me, my lord." Quinn laughed a bit more, ruffling Heig's hair, effectively messing up his whole look. "Dad!" Heig whined.  
  
Ander laughed softly. "Alright, so black for my Quinn and white for his son. Don't get mixed up. Got it." Ander said and Quinn just realized that, yes, that would be a very effective tactic. "Also, sorry that you got hurt because of me. I figured you would want to have a room here too, because of your father being here and all, so I had one saved for you too." Ander added. Heig was a little taken aback by Ander's generosity. "Oh, yes, thank you." It was definitely strange for Heig to be thanking a Sith.  
  
"Wrath." Ander looked up to see One standing just behind Quinn and Heig, with a pile of luggage behind him. "One..." Ander said softly. "I have done as you ordered. Do you have other orders?" Punctual as ever, One was, but Ander had other plans. "Actually, One, I don't but you've done much more than I have asked, so in exchange, for a job well done, I'm setting you free. You no longer have to take orders from me or anyone else. You alone decide how to live your life." One looked as though he actually didn't see that coming. Well, Ander knew he didn't, because of Tenebrae, it was impossible to mind read Ander.  
  
One stood there in silence for a while. "But..." He tried to ask what he should do but decided against it. If Ander was truly setting him free, then it would be likely that he wouldn't just tell One what to do. No, that would be a command. Ander noticed the slight panic and confusion in One's actions. "But, hey," One looked back up at Ander. "If you want, you can stay here until you figure out what you want to do. I have a room saved for you, too, and Jaesa kept your ship in top condition all those years." Ander pointed to a ship in the far corner of the docking bay. "You can stay here, or just go where ever. It's fine if you don't know where. Even if you leave, you will always have a place to stay here." Ander said, his kindness knowing no bounds as always. Quinn hadn't thought about until Ander had done that, that perhaps One wasn't truly free. What a wonderful gift to give. One nodded and helped move the luggage, once more. He was free but he still had things to do.  
  
"Oh, my lord," Ander looked back at Quinn, a little too excited to hear him call him. "We brought the artifacts," Quinn pointed to the ever familiar machine just next to the Phantom's storage ramp. "I figured you would like it back," Quinn said. Ander smiled and nodded, but Quinn then realized he had been carrying Grophl the entire time and had hardly noticed. "Oh, and I suppose you would like Grophl back too." Quinn opened the carrier and picked up the half-asleep pup, holding him in his arms. Ander pet the grophet and smiled at him. "I would, but my room is right next to the command center. There are a lot of people and oftentimes a lot of shouting. It would make me really happy to live with this cutie again, but..." Ander paused, though his smile never fading from his lips. "I can tell, just how close you two have gotten over the years and it would be selfish of me to take that from both of you."  
"My lord, with all due respect: he is your pet, you have every right to take him back and secondly, he and I haven't bonded all that much-"  
"That's a load of bullshit," Heig interjected. Ander was a little surprised to hear that face spout curse words, but also slightly intrigued. "You were borderline clinically depressed during his absence. Both you and Grophl would spend some nights crying and comforting each other and when you finally were able to go back to work, Grophl would pester me non-stop, some days, because he was worried you were dead. He would only calm down when I would video chat with you. To say you two haven't bonded is so incredibly far from the truth that I can not let it slide. Dad, you need Grophl, and he needs you." Heig said. Quinn was a bit ashamed and hugged Grophl a little tighter. Ander sighed and rested a hand on Quinn's shoulder. "Hey, I don't mind it. You guys need each other, it's obvious," _Among other things..._ Heig thought. "I'll still be around to say hello and play a bit but most of the time, I'll be working. So, I hope you don't mind taking care of him a little longer?" Ander asked, tilting his head as he smiled. "Not at all, my lord." Quinn smiled, as well. "But," Ander looked back at the artifacts. "I will be taking those back... I have some stuff to add to it." Ander spoke softly on that last part, but Quinn heard him and was immensely interested. "But, in the meantime, Jaesa will show you to your rooms," Ander looked to the door as Jaesa entered the room.  
  
Jaesa bowed, as graceful as ever, a smile painting her face as she greeted them, but looked back to Ander. "Lana is getting impatient. You might wish to hurry." She said. "When is Lana _not_ impatient?" Heig laughed. Jaesa seemed to agree with her own stifled chuckle. "Yes, yes. I just need to put this up and I'll be back to her."  
"That's what I told her," Jaesa said and Ander lifted the artifacts and the machine with the Force and made his exit. Quinn was slightly disappointed to see him leave but ultimately knew he was busy. Jaesa pat Quinn on the shoulder and smiled at him. "It's good to see you again, Captain, or should I say, Major?" Jaesa asked. Quinn shook his head. "If I'm being completely honest with you, I'll always be my lord's Captain." He said. Jaesa then led all three of them to their rooms, helping One with the luggage as she went.

 

  
One and Heig's rooms were first and they were pretty much identical, but when Jaesa showed Quinn his room, there was one big difference. All the rooms on this side of the wing had balconies but Quinn's room had another feature. He had seen the previous room's layouts and ignored the elegant furniture, as he made his way to the sliding doors, leading outside. Jaesa watched from the doorway, and couldn't deny the slight jealous feeling she had when Ander had saved this room especially for Quinn, nor could she blame him though.

Quinn opened the door and looked up to the gnarled tree branch that grew out of the cliff, just above his door. It was unlike any of the other trees on Odessan. Its bark was a pale, greyish brown and even though one trunk grew out of the rocks, for some reason, it had split and created two even limbs, which twisted around each other. At some points, it almost looked like a double helix but more tightly spun. The two limbs had made their own branches and it looked like it were in the later stages of its bloom cycle, with more leaves than flowers. It was certainly a beautiful sight to behold.

Jaesa eventually walked up to Quinn, who immediately looked back at her. "Was this, planted here?" He asked like she knew he would. She shook her head. "No, it was here when we began construction on this wing. The construction crew wanted to rip it out before they began, but Ander wouldn't let them. He told them to work around them, but said he wanted one room to have a balcony directly under it." Quinn was in awe at its beauty and slightly overwhelmed that his lord had planned this to be his room from the start. "They told him it was dead, but both of us could clearly see it was just dormant." Jaesa started again. "Everything on Odessan is so in tune with the Force, it's almost like you are able to communicate with every rock and tree. I know, it sounds crazy, even for us, but that's just how it is. Later on, we figured out it was only winter when we started and, just a few weeks later, it began to bloom. Beautiful, don't you think?" 

"Yes..." Quinn sighed, Grophl also liked the tree. "Ah, also," Jaesa started and Quinn looked to her. "As you can see, there isn't a spot for Grophl to pee, here, sorry. There is a pet area at the end of the hall. It's outside but covered, so you don't have to worry about the occasional rainstorm." She said. "Oh, thank you for letting me know, Ms. Willsaam," Quinn said. "Of course I showed you the cantina. That's where we all have our meals which are prepared by C2-N2 and sometimes other crew members. If you want, you can ask C2 where the kitchen is so you can make your own meal and he will add it to the list."  
"Wait, a Republic ship droid is here?" Quinn asked and Jaesa nodded. "Yes, Jedi Master Timmns donated him to the cause, when it was found that all the 2V models had a glitch in their code that made them wish to kill their owners, no matter how well they were treated." Quinn was stunned but Jaesa assured him that all the droids had been recycled, including Ander's former droid. Quinn was ultimately relieved but slightly disappointed that he didn't get the chance to deal with the droid himself. "Well," Jaesa started, once more, "I hope you enjoy your stay here, Captain, goodnight." Jaesa bowed, before leaving the room. Quinn looked outside, one more time, before getting ready for bed.

~----------------~

  
The next morning, Quinn awoke to someone knocking on his door. He looked at the clock and was astonished to see he had slept passed his alarm, "One moment!" Quinn called out, as he rushed out of bed to go bathe. "Dad, it's just me, and your clock is off by two hours. It's actually a lot earlier than you think." Quinn stopped, looked back at the clock and suddenly remembered that he hadn't set an alarm last night. He sighed in relief and let his son into his room. Heig immediately goes over to the clock and sets the time, but then looks up at his dad. "Okay, so, you might believe what happened earlier but pretend that you won't, okay?" Heig asked and Quinn hummed, minding his own business as he went into the bathroom. "You will listen, right?" Heig shouted from the bedroom. "Of course, son." He shouted back. "Okay, so, the Commander came to my room to once again apologize for letting me get hurt on his account but this time, I told him how Scorpio and Kaliyo were working under my orders..."  
"And how did he react?"  
"Actually pretty well. He was more surprised about Kaliyo than Scorpio but turns out that he liked Scorpio more than Kaliyo. Not only that but when Scorpio 'betrayed' him-"  
"You what?-"  
"She didn't really but I could totally see how some people would see it that way. Anyway, he never actually thought she betrayed him. He had actually talked to her a little on the Gravestone, and although I told her not to tell him too much, he still figured she was doing it for good reasons. Then, when she asked him if she could connect herself to Iokath, he actually let her go. I have all of her messages to tell me that, but to hear him say it, well; I thought I was the only one who could befriend her." Heig sighed, laying on the bed as the shower turned on and off. He closed his eyes, waiting, as Quinn quickly got dressed and went back into the bedroom and sat on the bed. "So, do you now believe my lord is a good person?" Quinn asked. Heig opened his eyes and looked to his father. "I always believed you, I just had to be sure, you know?" Quinn nodded and Heig sat up. "So, what are you going to do now?" Heig asked, turning to look at his father on the other side of the bed. "I suppose, for now, I will continue to take care of Grophl but I guess," Quinn looked down at the pup play with his toy. "We could go say hello to everyone downstairs," Quinn remembered that Jaesa had mentioned Timmns last night and he wanted to see if he could find him and just chat, just a little bit. Grophl barked in approval of the idea.  
  
"Okay," Heig said as he jumped off the bed and went towards the door, "well, while you are doing that, I'm going to go down and talk to Lana, see if I can help out in any way." Heig left Quinn's room in a hurry. Quinn laughed softly as he thought, He really can't sit still for long. He got up and helped Grophl into his harness. Grophl was really good about minding himself and, in a spacious enough area, would hardly ever get lost, so Quinn hardly ever needed to leash him. Grophl just liked to wear 'clothes' outside. "Ready to go, boy?" Quinn asked and Grophl excitedly ran over to the door and waited. He opened the door and they walked out and made their way to the pet area. The pet area was pretty spacious and had, what Quinn could guess to be, droids that cleaned up after the various animals that resided at the base. Most of it was covered by grass but there was a small deck area with some tables and chairs, like for the pet owners. However, Quinn hardly minded walking with Grophl and it made it easier to keep an eye on him. Quinn looked up to look at the scenery but was surprised to see One standing there.  
  
"You weren't paying attention." He said sharply, of course, One was sharp as ever. Quinn walked up to him, noting the guard rails around the edge. Just as he was going to ask, One spoke. "Yes..." However, One was quick to change his answer. "No... I don't know." One finally said. Quinn hummed in agreement. One was processing a lot of change, he was bound to face some trouble in the middle of it. "All my life I have never asked for anything. I have never wanted or wished. I don't know what to do without someone's command to give me direction." One said. Quinn understood that feeling, but he wasn't sure what to say to help him. Just then, the sound of the doors opening and closing, caused Quinn to look back. Jaesa walked with purpose towards them. "Hello, gentlemen. How was your first night on Odessan?" She asked as though she was expecting a certain response. "Confusing." One said; Quinn was going to answer her but really wanted to help One first. He looked to Jaesa for help and she spoke up. "Odessan is one of the few planets in our galaxy that is at complete balance in the Force. You must have felt it..."  
"I have." One said, glancing back at her before turning his gaze back to the horizon. "Then perhaps you may find what you're looking for here, through the Force," Jaesa said. One hummed as he thought. "Perhaps." Then, he simply went back inside. Quinn looked to Jaesa. "Thank you, Ms. Willsaam."  
"When are you going to tell him?" She asked. "Who?"  
"Master." Quinn faltered for a moment. "What do you mean? He's busy and-"  
"Captain. If you don't tell him soon there may come a time when you will no longer be able to. I haven't told him or anyone else, but you do love him. You need to say it. It's rather selfish of you to hide it." Quinn couldn't believe what she was saying to him, nor could he answer her. Jaesa sighed. "I saw it, you know, on Hutta. When I used my power on you two, I saw the Force intertwining both of you. It was rooting for you, even back then. You can do it, Captain." She said before going back inside. Quinn just stood there, shocked by her words. Grophl walked up to him and barked, signaling that he had gone to the bathroom. Quinn snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at the pup, who was wagging his tail. He bent down and pet the pup's head multiple times, "Do you think I can do it, boy?" Quinn asked. Grophl barked and licked his fingers, before snorting one last sign of approval. He smiled at the cute pup and, together, they went back inside.

  
Quinn led Grophl to the cantina, the one they had seen earlier but didn't get a chance to explore. It was a pretty standard cantina: it had a bar with shelves and shelves of alcohol, a large number of round tables and seats. Why there weren't any round tables anywhere else but at a cantina was a strange question indeed. This time, Grophl was quick to lead the way. He kept his nose to the ground, seeking the nearest, friendly, scent until he finally found one. Grophl barked at the gentlemen surrounding one particular table and Quinn rushed over to him. He was going to tell the pup to be quiet but the people at the table hardly minded. One person looked up from Grophl and Quinn instantly recognized him. "Quinn!"  
"Master Timmns." Quinn was very excited to see his friend again and went over to shake his hand. The Republic soldier next to Timmns made a double take at him and also stood up to shake his hand. It took Quinn a second to recognize him, but sure enough, he did. "Naughlen. It's been a while."  
"Likewise, Quinn. Shoot, lemme guess: You came for the Sith." Quinn knew he actually meant Ander. "Yes." Naughlen laughed and smacked Timmns' shoulder. "Guess you were right, Timmns. Fuck, now I owe you a drink." Naughlen downed his drink and Timmns laughed. "Save your credits for Quinn here. Hey, come sit with us. We'd like to introduce you to some friends." Timmns pulled up a nearby chair and offered it to Quinn, who sat down. "Quinn," Timmns started, "This is Aric Jorgan, he was a Republic soldier turned Alliance."  
"I recruited him and he didn't believe me when I said: Dude, there are a bunch of reasonable Sith here that will be your friend. Also, we are led by a Light Side Sith who will most definitely run at you and scream at you to be his friend." Naughlen laughed but Aric groaned. "Yes, yes... I remember." Aric rolled his eyes at the drunken soldier across from him. Quinn chuckled as that clearly reminded him of his lord. Timmns patted Quinn on the shoulder. "Aric, this is Quinn. He was the Commander's Captain before all this happened. He's actually kind of cool."  
"Dude, all the Imps here are cool, what are ya talking about? I don't even call 'em Imps no more... Sounds like a racial slur now that I think about it..." Naughlen was definitely drunk and quickly getting worse. "Hey, Quinn, what do y'all call us, by the way?" Naughlen was slowly starting to slide off his chair but Timmns caught him. "I don't think you want me to answer that..." Quinn said. Aric sent a glare his way, but Naughlen persisted. Quinn sighed and decided to humor him. "Dogs..." Naughlen hummed for a bit. "Ehh... That's fair." Naughlen said before passing out. Timmns managed to catch him so he didn't hurt himself. "Hmm. I'm sorry Quinn, but I'm going to have to take him back. I hope to see you later." Timmns said before throwing Naughlen over his shoulder and walking out with him. Aric watched as they left but then turned to Quinn. "Do you really?" He asked but Quinn shook his head. "We have far worse nicknames but I didn't want to ruin his time. Dogs is usually what the recruits, fresh out of the Academy, say." Quinn clarified. Aric nodded and stood up from his seat. "Well, nice meeting you, Quinn. Hopefully, we will get a chance to fight together."  
"Yes, you too, Aric," Quinn said, before standing from his chair.

 

  
It took Quinn but a moment to realize that Grophl had wandered off. He knew he wouldn't have gone far since they were well past that part of training, but it still took him a minute to find the pup. However, the soft whines and snorts led Quinn straight to him. Grophl was standing in front of a door on the far right side of the cantina. It looked like a private room, the kind of room that some high-class cantinas had for private parties or business meetings. Quinn didn't see any lights on, through the narrow window in the door, and simply figured that Grophl wanted to explore. Quinn opened the door and heard a hushed peep. There was someone in there who probably didn't want to be disturbed and Quinn knew that, but when he tried to close the door once more, Grophl ran in. Quinn cursed beneath his breath and entered the room, closing the door behind him.  
  
Once inside, Quinn could actually see it was Vaylin, who was in there. She was sitting on the ground, behind one of the chairs, wet streams stained her cheeks and her eyes were slightly red and swollen. Quinn instantly thought back to seeing Ander in a similar state and thought of what things she'd been through. Grophl ran up to her but she flinched and backed away, closer to the wall. Grophl tilted his head, wondering why she looked so sad and whined. Quinn slowly walked up to her and knelt down. "Hey, it's okay. He just wants to say hello. He hates to see people cry." Quinn said quietly. Vaylin looked up at Quinn but then returned her gaze to Grophl. She wiped her tears away and lowered her guard a little bit. Grophl slowly squeezed his way into her lap and licked her fingers as she went to hug him. As she wrapped her arms around him, he rested his chin on her shoulder. The warmth from the pup's body made her feel so safe and loved that she couldn't hold back the dam any longer and started to bawl. Quinn watched the girl with an understanding silence. He quietly took a seat next to her, on the floor, and waited with her until she was done.  
  
Once the tears stopped coming, Quinn handed her a handkerchief to dry her face. She graciously took it and wiped her eyes and cheeks, before handing it back to him. "Do you feel better my dear?" He asked. "A little..." Vaylin said, her voice was still strained but she definitely sounded better. "Now, will you tell me what has gotten you so upset?" He asked. Vaylin frowned but Grophl licked her cheek. "Surely you must know what I've done. You have seen the recent news, haven't you? I'm a monster to them and it's not much better here..." She sighed as her eyes began to become glossy with tears, once more. "The news only tells one part of the story and they do it poorly at that," Quinn said, handing her the handkerchief, once again. Vaylin took it but simply held onto it. "You don't understand. Everyone here hates me. Even my own family avoided me until just recently. The first week I was here, the Commander was the only one who was nice to me."  
"Did you do anything to your family?" Quinn asked. Vaylin sighed. "I tried to kill them."  
"Why?"  
"Because-" Vaylin grit her teeth and clenched the handkerchief. "Because they abandoned me, they betrayed me. It was my own mother who told my dad to 'deal' with my strong connection to the Force. My dad locked me away in a science lab and tortured me and did tests on me, to teach me _obedience_. I wanted them to pay for making me go through that but..." Vaylin trailed off. "But?" Quinn asked. She took a deep breath. "But the Commander said that even if I get my revenge, it won't make me feel any better and I'll still be alone and dead on the inside." Despite the sad undertone of it all, Vaylin let out a small chuckle. "Then he hugged me and said that he will help and I believed that, more than my mother telling me she loved me or my brother saying he forgave me." Quinn hummed. "He has that effect on people." He said. Vaylin nodded. "Well, I have just one thing to tell you, my dear." Vaylin looked up at Quinn with a small bit of fear in her eyes. "The only person who hates you, in this room, are the voices in your head." He said. The fear in her eyes vanished as she continued to look at Quinn. "My lord forgave you because he believed in you. Now, you just have to believe in yourself and prove to everyone else that you can and you have changed." Quinn stood up and stretched out his hand to her. "You think you can do that, Vaylin?" Vaylin looked at his hand for a moment, before releasing Grophl and standing up herself. She turned to Quinn, a new fire of confidence burned her eyes, and nodded. They then left the room and went their separate ways.  
  
Quinn looked down to Grophl, who looked up at him as well. "Good job," Quinn said. Grophl snorted and they both returned to their room. Once there, Grophl jumped up on the bed and quickly nestled in for a midday nap. His soft snores and occasional snorts brought a lot of comfort to Quinn but it was very easy to fall asleep to it. Quinn decided he might as well set up some decorations around the room and went over to his unpacked luggage.

 

  
  
A couple of hours later, Grophl was very much awake and was watching the television, while Quinn cleaned up a bit. Quinn was just about done when he heard a knock at his door and went to answer it. On the other side of the door stood a woman, who Quinn didn't recognize. She had dark brown hair, which was starting to grey, tied up in a bun, was wearing heavy armor and was carrying a lightsaber. Quinn was instinctively wary about her but did his best to resist acting as so. "Hello, I'm afraid we have yet to meet. My name is Senya, nice to meet you, Major." Senya said. Quinn bowed to her. "Quinn, it's a pleasure, Senya."  
"A pleasure, indeed, Major. I just came to say thank you for speaking with Vaylin."  
"Of course..." Quinn was a little confused but didn't want to ask. "Ah, excuse me," Senya apologized. "Vaylin and Arcann are my children. I'm their mother." She said. Quinn nodded. "Well then, if you have met Heig, he is my son, but thank you for telling me," Quinn said. Senya smiled. "I have met him, though once I saw you, it was quite obvious who's son he was, yes, thank you for talking with Vaylin. She came down in a hurry, telling us all about how nice you and your pet were-"  
"Excuse the interruption, but he is not mine. Grophl is the Commander's pet. I am just taking care of him in the meantime." Quinn said. Senya smiled, once more. "Well, regardless of who he belongs to, Vaylin loved him. You wouldn't mind letting her come visit him, would you?"  
"Not at all, he would love that," Quinn said. Senya bowed and thanked him again, before making her leave. Quinn closed the door and turned back to Grophl. "You've become quite popular, haven't you?" He asked, taking a seat next to him. Grophl snorted but continued to watch his show. Quinn wondered how much of it Grophl understood...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, this is basically how I feel writing VS reading this chapter...
> 
> https://imgflip.com/i/2yllwn?herp=1555298090104
> 
> Hope yall don't mind the dead meme.


	26. The Confessions

The following day, Quinn woke up to his usual alarm. He got up, bathed, got dressed and took Grophl out. He didn't miss a beat but when it was time to go back, Grophl refused to return to the room. He wasn't known to get stir crazy but, perhaps, there was just too much he wanted to see and do. Perhaps he just really wanted to explore it all.

Quinn gave in and led Grophl downstairs to the staging ground, as they called it. He looked to the edge of the platform and noted the lack of guardrails. "Grophl... be careful near the edge, you could easily fall off if you don't pay attention," Quinn told the pup, before letting him go explore.

 

There were quite a few people walking about but Grophl was pretty easy to spot. Every time he greeted someone, they would bend down to pet him. He loved the attention and they were so enamored with him. Grophl gave them each a quick kiss, before moving on to the elevator chasm that laid before him. "Grophl..." Quinn called as he caught up with him. Quinn looked down the shaft and once again noted the lack of guardrails. Quinn sighed, bothered by the lack of safety measures but his focus shifted when he heard the elevator start to come back up.

He quickly instructed Grophl to back up and gave the pup a treat, once they were back far enough. Quinn looked back up at the elevator, as it arrived, to see Ander standing in the middle of it. He looked slightly perturbed but as soon as he noticed Quinn, his face lit up. Ander immediately made his way over to him. Quinn was going to greet him first, but Grophl beat him to it. Grophl jumped in front of Ander, whining and snorting. "Okay, okay, buddy. I get it, you first." Ander said, picking Grophl up and hugging him, while Grophl gave him several wet kisses. Quinn stared a little too hard at the exchange. He almost felt stupid for feeling jealous but knew that Grophl was probably doing it on purpose; he was smart enough to do it, anyway.

"Okay," Ander laughed and put a hand in between Grophl's face and his own. "That's enough," Ander said, putting Grophl back down; he then looked back to Quinn. "Quinn, how's it going?" He asked. "Good, my lord. Grophl seems a bit excited to explore the base, however."

"Oh, well if that's the case, let me give you a tour."

"My lord, you don't have to-"

"Nonsense, I needed a reason to avoid doing work." Ander laughed as he stepped back onto the elevator and help Grophl onto it. Quinn smiled and followed them. Ander glanced at Quinn, as the lift went down, and noticed the new wrinkles around his eyes. _The years haven't been kind to him._ Tenebrae whispered. _I know. He deserves so much better._ Ander whispered back. _Maybe you should be the one to make it better._ _Tell him._ Tenebrae said in an aggravated tone.  _No, we've gone over this before. He's not interested in me._ Ander huffed. _Are you fucking blind?! Oh my- Okay, listen. If you don't tell him soon, you may lose your chance to._ Tenebrae said, trying his best not to possess Ander and do it himself. _Is that a threat?_ Ander asked, though only in a sarcastic manner. _No, I just... If this shit gets as bad as I think it will, then you should probably prepare for the worst._ Ander thought about it but didn't respond as the elevator reached its destination, but he didn't get much time to breathe as Lana made her way over to him.

"Commander, I see you have gotten some air?" She quickly said, but Ander just sighed. "Actually, Lana. I'm going to show Quinn around the base. Jaesa can cover for me, you know that."

"But-"

"But nothing, Lana. Look," Ander lowered his voice to a whisper. "I know this traitor business has got you completely stressed out but I need space to breathe. That's why I have Jaesa to fill in for me. Please, I really need this time with him." Lana looked at him with a worried expression but she silently backed away, crossing her arms behind her back and bowing before them. "Of course, Commander." She said, before returning to her console. Ander worried for his team's mental well being but he really needed a break himself. It... had been a hard time.

Quinn looked to Ander and walked up next to him. "My lord?" He softly asked. Ander looked at him but refused to let the weight of his heart show on the outside. He sighed but forced a smile. "Sorry, things are stressful around here, but let's move on," Ander said, signaling Quinn to follow him. "I can imagine, my lord," Quinn said as he picked up Grophl and followed Ander.

Ander left the command center and took a left and then a right, at the fork. "This," Ander motioned to the large room, which had a waterfall inside, "Is the Force Enclave. It's a sanctuary for the Force users here to connect and train together." Quinn looked at the room and noticed that all the Sith and purebloods were either wearing a visor or a helmet. "Ah right, the dress code." Ander started. "Pretty much every Imperial soldier had some kind of Dark Side trait related PTSD. So, those of us who can't control it, or simply can't be bothered switching eye colors, have to wear a helmet or some kind of visor. That's why Lana's eyes were green just then. The rest of us just use our natural eye colors." Ander turned back to see Cytharat coming up to him.

"A new recruit Commander?" Cytharat asked. "Actually, this is Quinn," Ander said and Cytharat's expression immediately brightened. "Really?" Cytharat turned to Quinn and shook his hand. "I never got to say this before, but thank you for the food back then." Quinn was kind of confused but the memory of creating that care package quickly came back. “You’ll have to excuse me for not remembering your name,” Quinn said, a little ashamed that he couldn’t remember, but Cytharat was quick to forgive him. “Oh, please, my name is Cytharat. I should have said that first. I really did appreciate the food, it was really good. Thank you very much.” Cytharat bowed. Quinn was taken aback by the amount of respect he was being shown and was sure that it should have been the other way around.

 

“By the way Cytharat…” Ander stepped in slowly, his tone hiding a sinister motive. “You must have seen Darth Ravage walking around base right?” Cytharat’s face blushed as he backed away, smiling like an idiot. “Um, yes. Oh, was it you who-”

“Nope, it was Darth Marr that recruited him, but have you talked to him yet?” Ander asked. “N-not quite. I’ve said hello but I don’t think he heard me or-” Ander was going to cut him off again but Quinn beat him to it. “My lord, leave him alone.” Quinn moved in front of Cytharat and proceeded to show Ander the way out. “Aww c’mon! I just want him to be happy!!” Ander whined as Quinn led him out of the room. “You’re not helping.” Cytharat breathed a sigh of relief as Timmns approached him. “They’re cute, aren’t they?” Timmns asked. Cytharat nodded. “Totally. When do you think they will get together?” Cytharat asked. “Soon, hopefully.”

 

Ander was dragged all the way down the hallway to the Research Lab by Quinn. He would have been worried that Doctor Oggurobb would have bothered him, but he already warned him what would happen to him if he bothered Quinn. Slug stew…

 

“Quinn…” Ander whined, not caring that the multiple scientists in the room were staring at him. “My lord,” Quinn stopped and turned back to him, crossing his arms as he looked at him. Somewhere along the way, Grophl had wiggled his way out of Quinn's arms and was now sitting beside him. Grophl hated going to the vet, which was probably the reason why he had zero interest in exploring the science lab. Ander bent his knees to appear smaller and revealed his puppy eyes. “You don’t like it when people ask you difficult and personal questions, so why would you do it to someone else?” Quinn asked. “Um… I’m sorry.” Ander’s voice was practically a squeek, it was pitched so high. “I’m hardly the person you should be apologizing to…” There was only one way out of this situation, Ander knew. “Um… well, I will, but do you want to see what I added to the archive?” Ander asked. Quinn’s harsh expression softened and he uncrossed his arms. “Well, as long as you apologize some time tomorrow… yes.” Ander jumped back up to his normal height. “Okay! Let’s go!” Ander said, excitedly leading the way to his room.

 

Once inside his quarters, Ander went over to his closet and opened the door, presenting the entirety of it to Quinn. Quinn walked up to it and looked inside to see a giant Black Box. It was caked in mud and covered in vines, but other than that it was perfectly fine. “Is that…?” Quinn asked, looking to Ander for confirmation. Ander’s wide smile seemed to prove it. “This is the lost third colony ship’s Black Box. That’s why there are only humans native to Zakuul. They are all from Earth! We found it in Zakuul’s swamp! Isn’t that amazing?!” Ander asked. Quinn was practically laughing in alongside Ander. This was a hobby that brought them both a lot of pure joy and that was the pinnacle of it. However, their moment was cut short as a knock on Ander’s door silenced them. “Aww man-”

“Commander!” Hylo Visz called from beyond the door. Ander’s mood was more than soured by the interruption but Quinn knew it was impossible to keep his full attention to himself. “My lord, it’s alright. Let’s go. We can examine this later.” Quinn said. “But-”

“Commander!!” Hylo Visz yelled even louder, practically banging on the door. Ander groaned and opened the door. “What?!” He yelled back at her. She lowered her arm and stepped back. Quinn looked behind her and saw Heig leaning against the wall.

 

“This agent you picked up from the Empire found something you might want to see,” Hylo said. Ander was about to tell her to go yell at Lana when Quinn intervened. “My lord, if it’s no trouble at all,” He started. “I would actually like to speak with my son for a moment. That way you can go look at what he found.”

“Holy shit,” Hylo said, making a double take at Quinn and Heig. “God damn clones.”

“Piss off, Hylo. They are father and son, now what did you want to show me?” Ander snapped at her, following her into the Underworld Logistics corner. “Yeah, but which is which?” She asked as they disappeared in the chaos that was that part of the base.

 

“Father,” Heig said. Quinn inspected him for a bit, as he always did. “Heig,” Quinn said, satisfied with his inspection but did notice that he was holding a small drone in his hand. “What is that? A drone?” Quinn asked. “A project. I attached a cloaking device onto it, so we could use it in reconnaissance missions, but Lana didn’t think it would be useful. Mostly because of the range.” Quinn was slightly offended that she didn’t believe in his son’s intuition. “She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.” He said. Heig groaned. “Dad, she does and she’s right. The range on this thing is tiny-”

“No, she doesn’t. You can make anything useful. I know because you are my son.” Quinn said, ruffling Heig’s hair. “Well, I did attach a camera to it, so it can take pictures… but, are you thinking about helping out? Is that why the Commander is showing you around?” Heig asked. “Well, yes, but not quite. Grophl wanted to explore, but he really seems interested in going outside…” Quinn said. “Ah, well some people told me that the forests of Odessan aren’t dangerous except at night. If you go now, you should have quite a few hours to explore.” Heig said. “Yes…” Quinn trailed off, looking at Heig with a worried expression. “You know, don’t you? How I feel about my lord?” Quinn asked. “Dad, it’s fucking obvious,” Heig said, resting a hand on Quinn’s shoulder. “Of course it is…” Quinn sighed. “Do you think… I could tell him?” Quinn asked. Heig took his father by the shoulders and made him look at him. “Of course you can, if anyone can do it, it’s you. How do I know? You’re my dad.” Heig said in a snarky tone, before hugging his father and returning to work.

 

Ander met back up with Quinn soon after, apologizing profusely. Quinn forgave him naturally but inquired about taking a walk in the forest. Grophl vibrated in excitement at exploring the forest, so naturally, Ander couldn’t refuse but still, he worried.

 

~---------------------~

 

Before they left, Ander grabbed a couple of lanterns and they hooked them to their belts. “To deter Shadow Stalkers, should we stay out past sunset,” Ander explained. “Hopefully it shouldn’t take that long,” Quinn said, following Grophl down the path. Ander was quick to catch up, walking next to Quinn. “So, um. I guess you might be curious as to what happened while I was gone…” Ander started. “I wasn’t going to ask if you didn’t want to share,” Quinn said. Ander anxiously chuckled but continued. “I actually need to talk to someone about it, it’s been… tough without you.” Ander sighed, causing Quinn to instinctively worry. _Had it been that bad?_ Quinn thought. _No, of course, it has…_ “I was told because I can’t remember any of it…” Ander started. “I was saved from Darth Marr’s ship by Arcann and then led to Valkorion by him as well. We talked for a while but I guess he must have said something that really pushed me over the edge and I… killed him. I don’t even remember…” _Hey, calm down. It’s in the past, I don’t blame you._ Tenebrae whispered. _Right._ Ander replied. “My lord… are you alright?” Quinn asked. “Yeah, yeah, but after that, I passed out and Arcann must have been scared shitless and threw me into carbonite. Then Valkorion’s ghost invaded my mind and hung out a bit. He tried to talk to me but I was too depressed to listen or do anything and he had to use his power to keep me from giving up.” Quinn listened on in horror. Ander had been through so much…

 

“Everyone wanted me to kill Arcann and Vaylin, but I just couldn’t. I forgave them because I just knew they were suffering inside and I wanted to save them. Then…” Ander took a deep breath before continuing. “Then, when I ascended to the Eternal Throne, Valkorion’s original plan was to basically possess me and take my body as his new vessel, but for some reason, he couldn’t do it. I gave him a chance to redeem himself and now, well, I am still his vessel but only so he doesn’t go crazy and become a demon. Now, he just hangs around and we talk and now we call him Tenebrae. Since that was his first name and all… and I’m sorry if that freaks you out.” Ander said, rubbing his arm anxiously. “My lord, I believe I already told you that I could never hate you. Nor will I ever like you any less.” Quinn said calmly. “So, you don’t mind him?” Ander asked. Quinn shook his head and smiled at him. _Holy shit, Ander. He is a keeper. Get him, boy._ Tenebrae said. Ander smiled and continued to walk with Quinn, his heart feeling lighter than ever.

 

Grophl eventually led them to a small grotto. It was beautiful. It had bioluminescent flora and a small freshwater spring. They were both in awe at the sight. Ander looked at Quinn and saw just how happy he looked. He wanted him to stay happy, more than anything else. Quinn glanced over at Ander and admired the way he seemed to glow brighter than any of the flowers before him. Ander was the most beautiful person there, he thought. _It’s now or never._ They both thought. Without looking at one another, they spoke. “I love you.”

 

Quinn shot his head up to look at Ander, who was looking back at him with the most shocked expression ever. They both blushed immensely. “You can’t be serious…” Quinn covered his face with his hands, trying to hide his blush. _You were right…_ Ander whispered. _No shit, you… I told you!!_ Tenebrae laughed. “One was right…” Quinn whispered into his hands, but Ander took them into his own and pulled them away from Quinn’s face. Quinn was practically ready to cry, but then so was Ander. “I love you. I’m sorry.” Ander said as he went to hug Quinn. Quinn was not having it, however, and as soon as Ander was in range, he reached up and kissed him. Ander released his hands, effectively stunned. Quinn reached up and held Ander’s cheek and caressed the back of his neck, running his fingers through his hair. Ander eventually rested his hands against Quinn’s hip, pulling him closer as he leaned into the kiss. They pulled away for a moment. Catching a moment to breathe and look at one another. “You know, this wouldn’t be so hard if you weren’t wearing those damned boots,” Quinn said sarcastically. “I’ll bend down as much as you want.” Ander smiled. “I suppose that will do, for now…” Quinn hummed, as he pulled Ander down for another quick kiss. Ander essentially melted that time, as he pulled away.

 

Ander wanted so much more, but a distant yelp pulled both of them out of their little world. As the forest around them grew darker, Ander cursed beneath his breath. Grophl ran out from behind a fallen tree and towards them. Quinn knelt down and ushered him into his arms. A dark shadowy creature manifested just behind Grophl and swung its huge claws at him. Ander pushed the beast away with the Force, allowing Grophl to safely jump into Quinn’s arms. “My lord? What is that?” Quinn asked, cradling the pup in his arms yet also holding onto him tightly. “A Shadow Stalker. We have to go; more will come.” Ander said as he picked Quinn up. “Trust me.”

 

Ander shot up into the air, the Force allowing him to jump over one hundred meters in the air.  As he came back down, Quinn could see a wave of shadow overtake the forest floor. “I thought you said the lanterns would deter them…”

“Once they target their prey, they will never stop hunting it unless it either dies or is shielded by white light… This is only yellow light.” Ander positioned himself over a tree and waited until he was able to land on one of its branches. His toe had barely touched the bark, as they were propelled back into the air and back towards the base. A call came into Ander’s earpiece. “Commander! Are you back yet?” Theron asked through the speaker. “No, turn on the lights.” In a second, the entire base lit up. The bridge out to the Fury was covered in floodlights, making it a perfect spot to land. At first, however, it looked like he was going to overshoot it, but Ander used the Force again to slow him down, allowing him to land right in the middle of the bridge. The landing was smooth, very smooth, with most of the credit going to his new boots, of course.

 

Ander set Quinn down and checked Grophl over, to make sure he wasn’t hurt, which he wasn’t. Relieved, him and Quinn shared another quick kiss before he asked, “So, how was the ride?” Quinn chuckled, as he put Grophl down onto the ground. “Very nice, despite the way you decided to carry me,” Quinn said sarcastically. “Ah, sorry about that. I was in a rush and I wanted to be sure you’d be safe and-”

“I was kidding,” Quinn started, taking Ander’s face into his hands. “I loved every second of it.” Ander smiled and relaxed into Quinn’s hands. It just felt so right… at that moment.

 

The door to the bridge opened suddenly and they immediately separated. Heig ran out, worried as all hell for his father’s safety, carrying his gun. “Dammit, dad… You left your gun.” Heig said as he ran up to them and handed Quinn his gun. Ander immediately noticed the name engraved onto its barrel and looked at Quinn with the most heartwarming expression. “You kept it… after all those years?” Ander asked. Quinn looked at him and smiled, a familiar warmth filling his heart. “Yes, of course, I did. It was a gift from you…” Quinn then looked to Heig. “I’m sure you can guess what happened. You always did have sharp eyes.” Quinn said. Heig chuckled. “I wouldn’t have to guess,” Heig said, as he pulled out and handed them each a picture of their first kiss. Quinn took it, too shocked for words. “Too bad the drone didn’t make it back…” Heig said, before activating his cloak and disappearing back into the base. “That little-” Quinn was absolutely furious, but Ander cut him off. “I’m sure he was just worried about you and decided to take a nice picture in the meantime.” Ander hugged Quinn and pulled the picture into view. “To be honest, I would have done the same. This is a really nice picture.” Quinn looked at the picture and nodded. It was beautifully taken.

 

“Oh, my lord.” Ander released Quinn, allowing him to turn around and face him. “I just wanted to address one thing…”

“Yes?” Ander asked. Quinn reached for Ander’s hand, holding onto it gently. “From now on, would you call me Malavai?” He asked. Ander just about had a heart attack and Tenebrae was actually concerned for a moment. _Hey, you okay?_ Tenebrae asked. _His voice is practically deadly, no it is a one hit K.O._ Ander whispered. Tenebrae rolled his eyes and went dormant, once more. “Are you sure? I mean, I don’t mind calling you by your last name-”

“I know, I just want to hear you say it. You don’t have to if you don’t wish to.”

“No, no. I-” Ander paused to take a breath.

 

“Alright… I guess I love you, Malavai.” Ander smiled and Malavai’s face blushed so redly that Ander was almost afraid. Malavai regained some of his normal color and replied, “I love you too, Ander.” That, however, made them both blush to the point of no return. “I’m sorry, my lord, but I don’t think I’ll be doing that again any time soon.”

“That’s okay, I don’t think my heart could take it.” Ander heaved. Malavai helped Ander to the door, Grophl trotting up behind them. “I suppose, then, we should call it a night,” Malavai whispered. Ander looked at Malavai and kissed him. “I’m glad you’re here, but please, stay out of this fight this time. I couldn’t bear to lose you. Goodnight, Malavai.” They re-entered the base together, but of course, had to go their separate ways, for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love unconditional!! <3


	27. A Brewing Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one came out to be 9 pages on Google Docs. It was supposed to be a little longer but I don't like these chapters to be too long since I format them to be easy to read on any device. I also used Grammarly to edit this while writing, so let me know what y'all think.
> 
> Also, if chapter 28 seems a little short, blame this monster of a chapter.

Malavai got up much earlier than he usually did and went through his morning routine. So early, in fact, Grophl wasn’t quite ready to wake up yet. That hardly bothered him, though, as he scooped the little pup up into his arms and left his room. Last night had filled him with a sort of confidence that he couldn’t quite explain. Regardless, Malavai had something special planned for his lord and, by extension, his friends in the Alliance. Malavai rushed over to the cantina and found C2-N2 waiting for him by the kitchen entrance. The droid was exceptionally better than R8 ever was, which brought to question how the 2V line ever passed quality assurance. N2 greeted Malavai quietly, after noticing the sleeping pup in his arms. “Greetings, Master Quinn. You said in your mail you had a meal plan to add to my registry?” Malavai nodded, handing N2 the recipe booklet. “Yes, if you could cook the one on page twenty-two for breakfast, it would be appreciated,” Malavai said. N2 took the booklet and bowed. “Of course, Master Quinn.” N2 went into the kitchen and Malavai made his way to Ander’s quarters.

 

Malavai stopped as he went around the corner, forgetting that Ander’s room was guarded by the assassination, or bodyguard, droid, HK-55. He slowly made his way up to HK and when the droid finally did look at him, stayed absolutely still. HK made no move to bar his way, which Malavai took as his cue to go in. Entering the room, Malavai was slightly surprised to see it in such a mess but paid it no mind and went up to Ander’s bed, where the young Commander was fast asleep. Malavai smiled as looked upon Ander, sprawled out across his bed. Gently, he laid down Grophl next to Ander's face. Malavai, ever so quietly, sat on the edge of the bed and gently ran his fingers through Ander's hair.

 

He let Ander get used to the feeling before leaning his head down, closer to Ander's exposed ear. “My lord,” Ander groaned in response and shook his head, causing Malavai to withdraw his hand for a time, before returning it to Ander's hair. Grophl opened his eyes at the feeling of movement and slowly realized that he was in Ander's proximity. Grophl licked Ander's face as he began to become more awake, only stopping every now and then to snort a little. Surprisingly, Ander seemed quite resilient to Malavai's attempts to wake him, as he pulled the covers over his head. Grophl whined and did his best to pull the covers away but Ander had a firm grip on them.

 

Malavai had one more trick to try, after that he would have to get serious. He lowered his head once more and spoke a little louder, to make sure he was heard. “My lord, it is time to get up now.” Ander stirred beneath the blanket and threw it off of him. He looked up at Malavai with sleepy eyes, before looking at Grophl, who had jumped in excitement to see him and proceeded to snuggle into Ander's neck. Ander sighed but gave the pup a little belly pat, which was much appreciated. Ander looked back up at Malavai, a very sleepy smile worked its way onto his face. “Good morning, my lord. Forgot to set an alarm?” Malavai asked. Ander yawned, shaking his head in response. “No…” He suddenly grabbed Grophl and snuggled him. “I haven’t really gotten back into my sleep schedule since I got out, but I don’t mind the wake-up call,” Ander said, smiling as he glanced back up to Malavai. “That’s good to know because I asked C2-N2 to make something special for breakfast,” Malavai said and Ander’s eyes lit up. “Really? Well, I better get up and get dressed.” Ander said, laughing as he kissed Grophl and set him aside on his bed. Grophl looked slightly disappointed but soon found an acceptable seat on Ander’s pillow.

 

Ander got up and soon realized he had left his room in disarray. He sighed and looked back to Malavai, who guessed that Ander was quite embarrassed at the state of his room. “It’s alright, my lord. You go take a shower and I’ll clean up.”

“What? You don’t have to do that…”

“You wouldn’t want to miss breakfast, would you?” Ander frowned at the question but eventually made his way into the bathroom and closed the door behind him. Malavai smiled, taking note that Ander really hadn’t changed that much. He carried that thought with him as he began to pick up the trash.

 

About fifteen minutes later, Malavai was just dusting off Ander’s desk when he heard the water shut off. He didn’t happen to see Ander take any clothes in with him, so either he already had clothes in the bathroom or… “Um, Malavai,” _Right on cue._ Malavai thought. “What do you need, my lord?”

“Just the basics… jeez, I’m so sorry about this.” Malavai laughed beneath his breath. He didn’t want Ander to feel any more embarrassed than he already was. Malavai went over to the dresser and grabbed a clean pair of undergarments and ever so slightly opened the door, only so his hand could fit through, and handed Ander the clothing. Ander quickly took it, yelling a ‘Thank you!’ from the other side. “Think nothing of it, my lord. Where is your armor? Do you wish for me to retrieve it for you?” Malavai asked, looking around the room. “Oh, um, no. You remember how I said I had to get new boots?”

“Yes?...”

“Well, Doctor Oggurobb, had the brilliant idea to make my armor all one piece. So… um, there’s a button on the wall. You’ll see.” Malavai looked on the only open wall and did, indeed, see a button. He went over to it and pressed it, before stepping back. A piece of the wall pushed out and slid away to allow Ander’s armor to come out and spin around, revealing it’s back, which opened up completely. “Oh, I see,”

“Yeah, right? It’s actually kind of cool.”

“It’s like power armor, my lord.”

“That’s the word! I couldn’t remember it before…” Malavai looked back when he heard the bathroom door open. Ander walked out, still drying his hair with a towel. He quickly grabbed a shirt and pulled it over his head, before going back to ‘drying’ his hair. He walked down to stand next to Malavai. Malavai looked at Ander with what could only be described as a loving expression, before taking the towel from Ander’s hand. “Sit, you aren’t doing it properly.”

 

Ander immediately squatted on the floor, which just made Malavai laugh. “On the couch, my lord.” Ander sheepishly smiled and made his way over to the couch. Malavai sat next to Ander and began to dry his hair for him, then a thought came to his mind… “My lord,” Malavai had stopped and Ander looked at him with a somewhat worried yet curious expression. “When did you first know you were in love with me?” The question came so far out of the blue, Ander just about fell off the couch. It took him more than a minute to process the question, as well as resituate himself on the couch. “Um, well, it’s actually pretty embarrassing. You first.” Ander said nonchalantly, trying to recover some of his lost confidence. Malavai saw right through his faux exterior but humored him nonetheless.

 

“Alright, well, I suppose the first time I felt any sort of jealousy regarding you… was on Belsavis.”

“Wait, is that why you wanted me to take you instead of Jaesa? You were jealous?” Malavai nodded, slightly embarrassed. “That’s actually pretty awesome. Hey, have you felt jealous towards Grophl, because, no lie, I have.” Ander laughed and Malavai quickly followed suit. “Yes, actually. He knows how to get to us, I suppose.” Malavai smiled. “But, the first time I actually realized I loved you was on Dromund Kass. That’s actually why I was late that night… I was too busy fussing over what to wear…” Malavai laughed nervously, now drowning in embarrassment. “Wow, that’s…” Ander looked at Malavai with those soft eyes of his, and he could swear he had seen those eyes before. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, you looked hot as fuck. That night was definitely worth the wait.” Ander smiled. Malavai smiled as well and patted Ander on the shoulder. “Your turn.”

 

Ander sighed but smiled once more as he looked down at the coffee table in front of them. “Balmorra.” Ander paused to look back at Malavai. “You remember when I tripped and face planted? It was right before then. Then everything that happened after that just kind of made me love you more.” Malavai was stunned yet not disappointed in Ander’s answer. He laughed a bit before actually realizing that Ander wasn't joking. “You know, I didn’t even think about the reasons as to why you fell. I was just worried you had broken your nose.” Malavai gripped Ander’s hand, intertwining and interlocking their fingers. Ander laughed as he leaned against Malavai, resting his head on his shoulder. “Tenebrae didn’t believe me when I said I fell in love with you at first sight… Until he had a dig around in my memories.” Ander laughed, relaxing a bit. “Please tell me he isn’t watching all the time…” Malavai was hesitant to ask, but Ander shook his head. “Not all the time, but he’s awake now that I said his name.” _Aw, look at you two cuddling on the couch. How sickeningly cute._ Ander narrowed his eyes at the coffee table and Malavai was slightly confused as to what he was looking at. “Shut up,” Ander said, using to the Force to push Tenebrae… but just ended up pushing the decorative plant off the table. _Oh look who's a ghost and also a figment of your imagination, technically._ Tenebrae laughed as he lifted the fake plant off the ground and put it back on the table. “My lord?” Malavai asked, staring at the once floating plant. “It was Tenebrae, ugh, never mind. Let’s go.” Ander said, releasing Malavai’s hand and entering his armor. Malavai got up and retrieved Grophl from the bed, before joining Ander at the door and leaving for the cantina.

 

Ander and Malavai have once again joined hands as they made their way onto the elevator. Malavai didn’t have a particular reason as to why he wanted to hold Ander’s hand other than it was comforting to him. It felt nice not to hide his feelings for the man and he was sure Ander felt the same. As the elevator came to a stop, Malavai could feel a slight tug from Ander and looked up to see Heig and Vette talking. That was the first time Malavai had seen Vette in the past six years and was almost surprised to see her. However, when she leaned over to the side and looked right at them, Malavai instinctively released Ander’s hand. Half out of proper business practice, never show your personal life at work, he thought, and the other half out of embarrassment. Though there was no reason to feel embarrassed, Malavai thought, but he didn’t reach for Ander’s hand regardless.

 

“Really?” Vette asked as she stepped passed Heig, looking pissed as ever. Malavai was going to comment on her tone when she blew up in their faces. “I kept your secret crush for two years, even though it practically drove me mad to see you act all lovey-dovey and yet not tell him you loved him, just so you could confess in the most perfect way and I wasn't there to witness it? Bro…” Vette sighed, shaking her head but continuing a moment later. “Still, though, I’m proud of you Sith. You did good and you guys do really suit each other.” Vette smiled, waving them goodbye and leaving for the cantina. Ander smiled, grabbing ahold of Malavai’s hand once more. Malavai appreciated the gesture but had more than a few questions for his son, who for some reason refused to turn around and greet them.

 

“Heig…” Heig flinched at the sound of his name and ever so slowly turned to look at father. Malavai narrowed his eyes and, with a much lower voice than Ander had ever heard, addressed Heig again. “Do you want to explain to me how Vette knew about us before **we** spoke to her?” Malavai was definitely sounding much scarier as time went on, Ander was kind of scared for Heig. “I may have told everyone in the base about what happened last night…” Heig tried to smile, to make him seem innocent but Malavai was not having it. He opened his mouth, ready to tell Heig **exactly** what he thought of his actions.

 

“Oh, that’s fine,” Ander said, happy as could be. Malavai closed his mouth and looked back up at Ander, who smiled at him. “Think of it this way, Malavai. It was way harder to tell you how much I loved you than it was to tell everyone else. In a way, he just saved us the trouble of telling everyone ourselves.” Malavai thought it over a moment before looking back at Heig. “Alright,” Heig’s face lit up but quickly activated his cloak and ran away to be sure. “but don’t do it again!” Malavai called after him. Of course, there was no response but that would have to do for now. Ander smiled down at Malavai, who mirrored his expression, before continuing on into the cantina.

 

~---------------------~

 

Ander chose a table while Malavai went and got two plates of food, plus a pet food bowl for Grophl. Ander grabbed the plates from him, despite Malavai telling him he had it. Ander then grabbed the pet bowl, as well, and laid it on the floor for Grophl, who immediately began to dig in.

 

Ander looked at the plate in front of him and instantly recognized it. “Hey, isn’t this that one thing, that I can’t pronounce… Sorry,” Ander looked to Malavai, with a somewhat embarrassed grin. Malavai chuckled. “I’ve renamed it to your favorite. So you don’t have to try anymore.”

“Aww, thanks.” Ander laughed as he began to eat his food. Malavai was slow to start, too busy admiring Ander’s love for his cooking, despite the fact he hadn’t made it himself. “I also gave C2-N2 the other recipes I used to make for you. Today’s lunch should be another one of your favorites.” Malavai said, before taking his first bite. Ander suddenly stopped eating, causing Malavai to focus once again on him. “My lord?” Ander looked almost frustrated but sighed and looked down at his food with sad eyes. “I… actually won’t be here for lunch today.” Ander put his fork down and rubbed his face with one hand. “I’ll be leaving for Umbara after this, with Lana and Theron,” Ander added. Malavai looked slightly disappointed but knew how important Ander’s new position was. He most definitely didn’t have time to sit and spend time with Malavai every waking moment. “I see… Well, when you return, I will cook it for you.” Malavai said. Ander looked up at him and smiled for a moment, before frowning once more, this time more serious. “While I am gone, though, I want you to do something for me,”

“Anything.”

“I want you to keep an eye on Arcann and Vaylin for me. Keep them out of trouble and don’t let Koth talk to them.”

“Koth, my lord? Who is that?” Malavai asked and Ander’s expression worsened. “He’s not a good person or at least I don’t like him.” Ander started. “He’s unnecessarily aggressive towards Arcann, Vaylin, and Senya. I’ve tried to talk to him but every time he opens his mouth he says something stupid. He’s just… an idiot and if he goes too far with his bullying, you have my permission to kill him. He’s not very useful anyway.” Ander said, finishing off his breakfast. Malavai hoped he wouldn’t have to go that far, but didn’t say anything more on it. “When will you be back?” He asked. Ander let C2-N2 take his plate and leaned back in his chair. “Should only be a few days, maybe less if all goes well. Just following up on a lead. Don’t worry about me, though. Tenebrae has my back at all times. He’s actually prevented me from dying a couple of times.” Malavai breathed a sigh of relief and stood up to give Ander a kiss. “Good. I expect you to come back in one piece.” Malavai said, pulling away from Ander, who smiled up at him. “Of course.”

 

They finished off breakfast and Ander left with Lana and Theron, soon after. Malavai resisted the urge to ask to go with him and simply watched as Theron’s ship left the planet. It very much felt like watching him leave for Darth Marr’s ship, all those years ago. This time, however, Ander was going to come back and Malavai would be there to welcome him with open arms. First, though, Ander did leave him with something to attend to. Malavai went back to the staging grounds and looked out onto the Fury’s landing strip. He had seen something reflecting sun rays a moment ago and was sure there weren’t any reflective surfaces down there, at least not when he was there last night. Malavai focused in on the light and clearly saw two lightsabers clashing, however, the figures wielding them were hard to make out.

 

“The Master’s children are sparring down there.” Malavai turned back to look at One, who walked up to him. “Who?” Malavai asked, genuinely confused. One made an exasperated sigh. “Arcann and Vaylin…” Malavai then realized that One never really called anyone by name, so this was most likely a first for him… “Oh, I see,” Malavai started. “I’m sorry One. I realize this change is still very new to you, but-”

“Yes, no one is my master. I know,” One looked a little sad, but it was hard to tell with the visor covering half his face. “Would you… like to accompany me? To greet them?” Malavai asked. One was silent but gave him a small nod. Malavai appreciated his honesty and looked down to Grophl. “Grophl, would you like to visit Vaylin?” Grophl snorted. Malavai smiled, petting the pup and signaling One to follow as they all went on to the elevator.

 

Malavai stepped onto the bridge and it almost felt surreal. Last night he was just there, kissing his lord. Goodness, it was enough to make his heart race, but then he had a thought. “One?” The pureblood stopped walking and looked to Malavai. “Did anyone tell you about Tenebrae?” He asked. One nodded and continued forward. Malavai supposed he didn’t wish to discuss it and continued across the bridge. At that point, it was painfully obvious it was Arcann and Vaylin as if Malavai didn’t believe One’s input. They were definitely sparring with a great amount of purpose. It almost looked like they were in a fictional war with each other.

 

Grophl barked, causing both of them to immediately stop and look towards the pup. Vaylin's face lit up as she looked down at his cute little squished face. She immediately sheathed her saber and kneeled down, ushering him towards her. Grophl excitedly ran up towards her, snorting rapidly to show his glee. He jumped into her arms and she hugged him tightly. Arcann watched as his sister let the little pup lick her face and also sheathed his weapon. He turned and looked to Malavai but quickly shifted his focus to One, which was giving off a **very** aggressive aura. Arcann took a defensive stance but One did not lower his aura, simply stopping in his tracks. One tilted his head at Arcann but soon lowered his outward aura. One kneeled before Arcann and hung his head. “Apologies, my lord.” Malavai and Arcann looked at One with confused glances. “Oh, One. That isn’t necessary, remember?” Malavai asked but One shook his head. “I was making him uncomfortable. The children of my _former_ master should never be threatened by a servant.” One said it as though it was burned into his mind a long time ago. Like it was instinctual.

 

Arcann and Vaylin both noticed the emphasis on the former master, and both felt like they could relate somehow. Arcann stood in front of One, signaling him it was alright to rise. One did so and stood silently, waiting. Malavai felt as though it would take much more to break One’s servitude than with just mere words. “I don’t claim to own you, One… was it?” Arcann asked and One bowed. Arcann nodded. “Though I must ask, how long have you known my father? What was he to you?” Arcann asked and Malavai was worried that the question would be too much for One to answer, but he surprised him. One did not hesitate in his response. “I did not know his name, I didn’t need to. He was my _Emperor_ , my _Master._ I was born into one of the many families that made up the _Emperor’s Hand._ Families of the purest of Sith Pureblood, who have served him since ancient times. Our names were forgotten once we were given our titles. I was his Servant One; one of hundreds; who was responsible for organizing and managing the rest of the servants. We served him faithfully for thousands of years until he turned his back on us and sent you and your brother to Korriban to eliminate us.” Arcann was stunned by One’s words, though they did not hold any hate or anger. “I’m sorry,” Arcann said. One tilted his head, curious as to why the young master suddenly felt so sad. “You have nothing to be sorry for. We were mere servants who had served their purpose. None of them died with regrets or in vain.” Malavai was equally shocked by One’s lack of emotion regarding their sacrifice. When he had heard about it from Ander, he had noted how angry One had seemed right after it.

 

“That was a long time ago, Major. It has been many years since then and I have had time to come to terms with it.” One turned back to Malavai, who still wasn’t sure about it. “It doesn’t matter how long it’s been. In a way, you were all brothers and sisters and I took that away from you. How can you be okay with that?” Arcan asked, almost shouting. Vaylin released Grophl and went over to her brother, trying to comfort him. “Brother…” Vayin lowered her voice to a whisper. “Thexan wouldn’t want you to be sad like this…” Still, Malavai heard her, his hearing had improved after raising Heig. “Thexan? Who is that, if I may?” Malavai asked. “The other one. His twin brother.” One said and Arcann just about broke down in tears. Malavai immediately regretted asking and went over to Arcann’s side, apologizing and trying his best to comfort him. Arcann took a deep breath, taking a moment to speak. “You don’t need to apologize for something that was my fault…” Arcann squeezed his eyes shut and tried to not let any more tears fall. “How is it your fault?” Malavai asked, still trying his best to calm him. Despite his wrecked emotional state, Arcann managed to get a few words out. “I was the one who struck first; I was the one who let my anger get the better of me; I was the one who pushed him and I was the one who let him fall.”

“Brother, that isn’t true. Our father stopped you. He was the one who killed Thexan, not you.” Vaylin said, rubbing Arcann’s back. Malavai was stunned, he had just uncovered a horrible memory that was now cutting deeper wounds into this poor boy’s heart.

 

“Dead? From a fall? I think not.” One said, his voice filled with no empathy whatsoever. Arcann immediately looked up at One, eyes burning with tears and anger. “He fell from the Eternal Throne. Which sits at the edge of Zakuul’s atmosphere. I watched him fall, there is no way-”

“A Force User with a quarter of your power could easily survive a fall like that. I could demonstrate it if you wish?” One asked, but Malavai had enough. “One, that’s enough.” He said and One went silent. Arcann looked to calm down significantly, as well. “We will discuss this matter when my lord comes back, until then, I want to hear no more of this,” Malavai ordered and everyone was silent. Arcann wiped his tears and stood up. Vaylin remained silent, not even attempting to pet the grophet rubbing his face against her leg. One looked at the two and although he wasn't able to mind read them, could feel the sadness radiating off of them.

 

“Alright.” One said softly. Malavai looked at One, thankful for his understanding. He then looked back at Arcann and Vaylin. “Well, let's go back inside. Vaylin, would you carry Grophl with you?” Malavai asked. Vaylin, although still a little sad, smiled and took Grophl into her arms. She held the pup as though he was her child. Malavai smiled at her compassion towards the pup and led them all back into the base.

 

They walked in mostly silence, except for Grophl’s soft breathing, when Arcann suddenly stopped. Vaylin noticed and looked back at him. Malavai stopped when One brought his attention to the two siblings. Malavai walked back to Arcann, worried for him. “Arcann?” He asked. Arcann just stared at the floor for a moment before looking up at One. He didn’t look at the pureblood with anger, like before, but instead with a new hope. “I know you said you didn't want us to talk about it anymore but... “ Arcann started, glancing at Malavai for approval. Malavai didn’t want to upset him but if he was okay… He nodded, allowing Arcann to continue. “Do you really believe Thexan lives?” Arcann asked. One nodded. “I do.” Arcann went silent, though a smile appeared on his face. “Why are you talking about Thexan, _Arcann_?” The smile immediately disappeared from his face as Arcann looked up towards the voice. Malavai turned around to see a man with his arms crossed, a smug yet angry expression on his face. “Koth,” Vaylin whispered, trying to hide behind Malavai. Malavai didn’t like the feeling he got from that man. He wasn’t Force-sensitive, of course, but his gut was telling him that their exchange would not be a good one.

 

Koth noticed Vaylin’s slight movement and also happened to catch a glimpse of Grophl in her arms. “Hey!” Koth yelled. “Don’t let her near your pet, she might kill it any minute now!” Koth sounded half serious, or perhaps completely serious, Malavai hardly cared. “What right or authority do you have to talk to these children like that?” Malavai asked. Koth scoffed, looking like Malavai just offended his mother by intervening. “I guess the countless atrocities they’ve committed against innocent people don’t warrant them to be punished. You’re just like the Commander, oh wait-” Koth smiled as he stepped toward Malavai, but One barred his path, stepping in front of him and preventing him from reaching Malavai. Koth looked up at One, unamused. “Um, move?” Koth asked, in an annoyed tone. “No.” One said. He did not move a muscle until Koth tried to sidestep him. One unsheathed his lightsaber and took an aggressive stance. Koth put his hands up and backed up. “Woah, woah. Chill.” Koth said. Despite the increased distance, One did not back down. “Leave and we will have no issues.” One commanded. Koth, even though he was in a very dangerous situation, looked like he was going to try and fight.

 

“Excuse me,” Everyone turned back and saw Jaesa enter the lonely hallway. She looked at Koth and then to One. “What’s going on here?” She asked calmly. Malavai moved out from behind One. “Koth, here, was aggressively harassing Arcann and Vaylin. One was merely trying to stop his harassment.” Malavai said and Koth didn’t seem to have a defense. Jaesa focused in on One, who Force whispered to her. _Yes. I gave him two warnings._

 _That’s more than usual._ Jaesa replied, but then looked to Koth, who was sweating bullets. Jaesa walked up to him and made sure he could clearly see her face. “Is this true?” Jaesa asked, her stare digging into him. Koth said nothing and glanced towards Vaylin. Though that was his last mistake. Grophl had just about enough of his arrogance and wiggled his way out of Vaylin’s arms, landing on the ground and ran towards Koth. Grophl bared his teeth and lunged for Koth’s ankles. Koth jumped back, screaming as the brown blur, with teeth, rushed him. He continued to scream as he ran out of the hallway and out of the base. Grophl chased him all the way to the door, stopping as Koth disappeared out of sight. Grophl gave him one last warning, in the form of a low growl, before returning to his usual self and going back to Vaylin. Everyone was stunned by Grophl’s display of aggression, but Vaylin all but hugged him to death. “Thank you.” She whispered. Grophl whined, worried for his friend. Malavai smiled but turned to Jaesa.

 

He walked over to her, leaving the rest of them alone. “I can see why our lord dislikes him,” Malavai said, leaning towards her. Jaesa nodded, her eyes still locked on Arcann. “Sorry.” She started. “I heard it all but I was hoping he would back down when One intervened…” Jaesa did not take her eyes off of Arcann as she spoke. “I was hoping the same but… what is his problem?” Malavai asked. Jaesa shook her head. “He’s been like this ever since I met him. He was aggressive to me too for a couple of years until Lana had some strong words with him.” Jaesa said and Malavai couldn’t believe anyone would treat Jaesa like that. Jaesa was about to say more when Hylo’s distant voice called for her. Jaesa sighed. “I have to go. Arcann, Vaylin,” Both of them looked up at her. “I suggest you stay in your rooms for the rest of the day. You know Koth will be back, don’t engage. Good day.” Jaesa left without another word, rushing to see what Hylo needed.

 

Malavai looked back at Arcann and Vaylin and saw a slight blush on Arcann’s cheeks. Arcann noticed Malavai looking at him and the blush deepened. “Excuse me, but I’m going to retire for the day…” Arcann quickly left and Vaylin walked up to Malavai, still holding Grophl. “Did you see that blush on his face?” She whispered. Malavai nodded. “I did but I wasn’t going to assume anything.” He said. Vaylin hummed. “Arcann has a big crush on Jaesa. He’s liked her since they met, way back when he was still Emperor of Zakuul.”

“Really? They met back then?”

“Yeah, I was there too, but… I was different back then.” Vaylin sighed. “But, my mother had snuck Jaesa in so they could find the Commander. I had watched them come in and told Arcann about it. He wanted to take care of it personally- kill them, but when we encountered them… Arcann didn’t move. He didn’t say anything, either. She said hello and bowed before him and he just let them go. I wanted to kill them too, but he stopped me. Essentially, Arcann let the Commander go free because he loved or wanted to love Jaesa.” Vaylin said. Malavai smiled, silently thanking Arcann for his mercy. “Well,” Vaylin started, handing Grophl over to Malavai, who took the pup from her. “Thank you, Major. For everything.” She bowed in front of him, before leaving.

 

One finally approached Malavai. “Do you wish for me to deter him from them?” One asked. Malavai didn’t want to order him around but he was genuinely worried about Arcann and Vaylin. “Please, those kids have been through enough.” He finally said. One left without another word, sheathing his weapon, yet keeping it ready. Malavai sighed, petting Grophl as he made his way back to his room.


	28. Returning From Umbara

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, the title is just a working title. The chapter is done and ready to read but I couldn't think of a good title so this is what we got! Unless anyone has some suggestions. As always, I appreciate any and all criticism.
> 
> This chapter was also edited by Grammarly, a hell of an addon to work with.

Several days had passed since Ander left for Umbara. Andre said he would- should have only been gone a few days but it was already pushing on a week. It was making Malavai anxious more than reasonable and Heig would often have to go find something for his father to do. Otherwise, he risked letting his father succumbed to a panic episode. Heig was starting to run out of ideas by the seventh day and looked to Jaesa for help. She seemed to know, all too well, what the separation could do to Malavai and was more than ready to put him to work. Heig was eternally grateful and quickly made his way back to his father's room.

 

Heig swiftly knocked on the door. “Come in,” Malavai said. He sounded fine, but Heig knew better. Heig entered his father's room to see him sitting at his desk, staring at an empty mailbox on his computer. Heig felt horrible for his father, as he too knew the pain of waiting for your significant other to return. “Dad.” Heig started; though he was now able to clearly see the sadness in his father's eyes as he looked up to him. “He isn't back yet. He said he would be back by now. Something has happened to him, I just know it-”

“Dad, please.” Heig went over to his father and grabbed his shoulder, an effective way to show his concern. Malavai went silent and returned his gaze back to his monitor. He was worrying like an old fool again, Malavai told himself. Heig absolutely hated to see his father in such a state. It reminded him of those six long years on Dromund Kass.

“Dad, I talked to Jaesa this morning-”

“You should know better than to call her by her first name. She is not your friend…” Malavai reminded Heig, who thought otherwise but corrected himself to appease his father. Heig cleared his throat and started again. “I talked to Ms. Willsaam this morning and she said she'd appreciate it if you would help her with some things in the Command Center. She said they are getting backed up and need some extra hands.” Malavai looked back up to Heig but then glanced down towards Grophl, who was sleeping on the edge of the bed. Heig knew far too well how committed his father was to the little grophet. “I will watch him until you're done. You know we get along and will be just fine.” Heig smiled, hoping it would convince his father.

 

Malavai took a moment to think it over before slowly standing up and grabbing his gun. “Alright. Make sure to feed him dinner.” Malavai said, leaving the room shortly after. Heig sighed with a big breath of relief. He was starting to worry if his plan would work at all. Sitting on the floor, Heig relaxed against the edge of the bed, waking up Grophl, who looked very upset by that…

 

~-------------------~

 

Malavai made his way off the elevator and was immediately greeted by Jaesa. “Captain, I'm so glad to see you accepted to help.” She handed Malavai a holopad and pointed to Senya, who politely ushered him over to her. Malavai briefly looked at the holopad, which had a lot of tasks opened at once, and made his way over to Senya.

 

Senya bowed before him, before sending another task to his already cluttered holopad. It didn't bother Malavai, he had worked with far worse, but it did annoy him a little. Malavai looked at each of the tasks before starting on any one of them. He immediately noticed they all had something to do with balancing expenses and the like. He looked up at Jaesa, who seemed to be working on nothing… He then saw the same when he looked to Senya, or Mrs. Tirall as he came to find out later. “I see neither of you is good with numbers…” Both Jaesa and Senya looked up from their _work_ . “Nonsense…” Senya started, “It would just take me far too long to complete them…” Malavai was not convinced, though. “I suspect that being considered _royalty_ may have dulled your mathematics skills, as you most likely had people to do this sort of thing for you,” Malavai said bluntly. Malavai opened one task, quickly wrote up a script and saved it to the system, and placed the script on each of the other tasks. He showed Jaesa and Senya his screen, who were slightly confused as to what they were looking at but one button press later, every one of the tasks totaled out, saved, and were sent back to the main system.

 

Senya and Jaesa were equally stunned. Jaesa quickly recomposed herself, Senya following suit shortly after. “Well that was quite impressive, Major,” Senya said. Vette, who was on the other side of the room, looked over at them. “Oh, did he do his computer trick? Yeah, sometimes I wonder whether he's genetically enhanced or not.” Vette laughed, yet somewhat curious as well. Malavai rolled his eyes slightly. “The answer would be no, Vette. I am nowhere near as technically advanced as those who are genetically modified…” Malavai said in a somewhat annoyed tone, as though he has been asked that question before. Vette sarcastically scoffed at his response. “Coulda fooled me.” She laughed. Malavai quickly remembered why he and Vette hardly got along and tried his best to ignore her.

 

Several hours later, freed from their _piles_ of work, Jaesa and Senya were taking a moment to learn how to design and test scripts by Malavai, who proved to be a sympathetic yet efficient professor. Just as he was about to run the test script, a call came into the main holoterminal. Malavai closed his program and Jaesa quickly got up to answer it.

 

The other end was not being well received on their end, but a few quick adjustments made the video and sound come in much clearer. Ander's face appeared on screen, yet his voice was several seconds behind the video. “Jaesa… can you hear me?” Andre asked. “Yes, Master!” Jaesa’s reply was louder than normal, as she expected the ship’s speakers may have been damaged as well. “Ready the medbay; Lana's injured and needs-”

“Shut up! I do not!” Lana's voice could barely be heard but it was quite obvious she was in some amount of pain. Despite Lana's deep connection with the Force, it was very hard for her to heal herself and Ander was anything but a trained healer…

 

“ETA ten minutes… meet us in the docking bay…” The call ended as quickly as it began. Jaesa took just a moment to process everything before she turned to her companions. “Captain, Senya, will you accompany me to the docking bay?” She asked but was met with no objections. Jaesa nodded and the three of them quickly made the necessary arrangements for Ander’s return.

 

Ander started the docking process and quickly made his way to Lana's side. Lana hissed and tried to shoo him away as she _gracefully_ got up off the couch and hobbled over to the docking ramp. Ander let her walk on her own but was quick to help when it looked like she was starting to lose balance. As the ramp came down, Ander's weary eyes were thankful to see Malavai standing alongside Jaesa and Senya. Malavai immediately made his way up to Ander, while Jaesa and Senya went to Lana. Ander whispered something to Malavai that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Malavai slowly turned to look at Jaesa, who mirrored his expression. “I… see.” Jaesa started, apparently having just heard the same thing from Lana. “Captain, will you help Master back to his room, while we discuss our next plan of action with Lana?” Jaesa didn't really have to ask the first time, as Malavai was already doing just that. “Of course, Ms. Willsaam.” Malavai said as he walked with Ander out of the docking bay.

 

Thankfully, his power armor was making it very easy to walk with limited effort and energy, but if Malavai hadn't been there to guide him, Ander was sure he would have tripped a thousand times already. As soon as Ander stepped out of the suit of hulking metal, however, he just about collapsed from exhaustion. Malavai made sure he didn't hurt himself as he gently helped Ander to his knees. Ander wearily looked to Malavai for a moment, before using the remainder of his strength to stand up and get to his bed, with Malavai's help of course.

 

“My lord, you need to conserve your strength…” Malavai said, his voice riddled with concern. Ander groaned as his body rested against the soft mattress. Ander took a moment to relax before adjusting his position to a more comfortable one. He then looked to Malavai, who was in the middle of his medical scan, with his holopad. Ander smiled at the amount of care and effort Malavai put into ensuring Ander's well-being. Malavai noticed Ander looking at him and did his best to finish up. “I know, my lord, I’m almost done.” Ander shook his head, still smiling. “I know you have to do this to feel better… I won’t stop you.” Malavai felt a little bad for keeping Ander awake when he really needed to be sleeping and put away his holopad. “No, my lord,” Malavai gently pushed stray hair from Ander’s face. “You need to rest. You’ve been through so much.” Malavai said softly, caressing Ander’s cheek with one hand. Ander relaxed into Malavai’s palm. “Could you…”

“Yes, my lord?”

“Could you stay with me for a little while?” Ander asked with the sweetest voice and Malavai found it very hard to say no. “What do you need, my lord?” Ander looked up at Malavai with those big round eyes. “Hugs?” Malavai blushed deeply as he registered Ander’s request. It was so… _innocent_. Of course, there was no way for him to refuse that and Malavai took off his boots and jacket and crawled into bed with Ander, who excitedly wrapped his arms around Malavai and snuggled into him. Malavai sighed, realizing that he was in the palm of this man’s hand. He would lie with Ander, at least until he fell asleep…

 

About an hour later, Ander had finally entered REM sleep, though, with only forty minutes of sleep in seven days, Malavai was surprised it took so long. Though one thing was for sure, Ander was in dire need of the rest. Malavai gently moved under Ander's arm and managed to wiggle his way out of Ander’s bed. He quietly got on his boots and jacket, before swiftly making his exit.

 

Malavai made sure he closed the door as quietly as possible, despite it being automatic. “Quinn, right?” Malavai turned around to see Koth standing behind him, wearing a somewhat smug grin. Malavai grimaced, as Koth was the last person he wanted to see right then. “That's absolutely hilarious!” Koth laughed, though it hardly sounded genuine. Malavai rolled his eyes. “What is-”

“You.” Koth cut him off. “Walking out of the Commander's quarters with your hair and clothes in utter disarray and sneaking around like you are ashamed of something…” Malavai then realized that, yes, his hair was indeed a mess, as were his pants but that was hardly enough evidence to accuse him of doing the thing Koth was implying. Yet Koth continued to ramble on about how despicable Malavai was. “I wonder what the rest of the Alliance would think if I told them, Major Quinn took advantage of the Commander in his time of need…” Malavai was absolutely furious with Koth's sly accusations but kept his cool. “I hope they would know better…” Malavai said softly. Koth laughed at, what he thought to be, cowardice.

 

“Statement: Back away from Master Quinn,” HK-55 said, raising his rifle up and aiming it at Koth. Malavai was a little surprised to see HK move so suddenly and backed up slightly. Koth just rolled his eyes at the droid. “Oh c’mon, HK. You can't shoot me, I'm on the protected list.” HK didn't lower his gun, instead, he stepped closer to Koth. “Clarification: Actually, the Commander made it very clear that Master Quinn is my top priority and should **anyone** threaten him, be exterminated.” Koth went wide-eyed as he came to the realization that he indeed was not protected by any amount of programming. Koth shrank as he backed away from HK, who was starting to pull the trigger, but Malavai quickly stopped HK. “You can't!” Malavai started, although still whispering. “My lord hasn't slept in several days. If you have to deal with him, knock him out or something.” HK didn't like that option as much as directly killing Koth, but he was given an order. “Wait, wha-” was all Koth could manage before HK bludgeoned him with the butt of his rifle, effectively knocking Koth out. HK shook his head at the wasted opportunity and turned to Malavai. “Query: What should I do with him, Master? Should I take him outside and kill him?” HK asked but Malavai shook his head. “No. My goodness, no. Take him to Jaesa and explain what just happened, just be sure to clarify that I did not _sleep_ with my lord, rather, I put him to sleep.” Malavai said, making sure the droid knew exactly what not to say. HK nodded and dragged Koth's unconscious body away. Malavai sighed, thankful that Ander was not woken up and returned to his room for the night.

 

~-------------------~

 

The next morning, Malavai was at Ander's door and in his room to ensure he had actually slept through the night. Malavai entered the room and was greeted by Ander's soft eyes, quite happy to see him. Ander waved to him and quickly finished dressing. Malavai was elated to see his lord so happy and **very** well rested as he made his way up to him. “What time did you get up?” Malavai asked, taking a moment to make Ander's bed before taking a seat on the edge of it. “A little past four in the morning,” Ander said, joining Malavai on the bed. “Thirteen hours then. Normally, I would not recommend that much sleep but yesterday was a special exception.” Malavai said, brushing Ander's hair away from his face. “It's gotten longer, your hair.” Ander nodded and looked at Malavai. “I don't suppose hair stylist would be one of your secret talents?” Ander asked, only half sarcastically. Malavai chuckled. “Afraid not, you will have to go to a professional for that, but I can sew if you need it.”

“Thank the Emperor, for that.” Ander smiled as he kissed Malavai, though Tenebrae was anything but silent. _I'm an expression?! Are you serious?_ Tenebrae whispered. Ander didn't answer but couldn't stop himself from laughing out loud. Malavai looked at him with a puzzling expression. “Tenebrae found out he is an expression,” Ander said. Malavai smiled and returned his kiss. Ander sighed as they parted and Malavai knew why.

 

“So,” Malavai started but did not finish as he watched Ander rub his face with his hands. “I need a favor, Malavai,”

“Anything,”

“Can you call Heig down here? I need his opinion on something,” Ander asked. Malavai texted Heig, who replied quickly, but then looked back to Ander. “Do you wish for me to leave the room while you talk?” Malavai asked. Ander was silent for a moment but nodded. “I just don’t want you to get upset or get the wrong idea,” Ander explained. Malavai nodded and left the room as soon as Heig arrived.

 

Heig watched as his father left the room with a somewhat hurt expression. He turned to look up at Ander, who stood from his seat on the bed. Ander took a few steps towards Heig but inevitably walked past him to lock the door. “You want to explain why you asked my father to leave the room?” Heig asked, slightly angered and offended by Ander’s silence. Ander sighed and looked back at Heig. “It would make me happier to let him stay but I know if he did, he would be upset and confused by what we are about to discuss.”

“Which is?” Heig asked, getting rather impatient. “Have you heard anything from Lana since our return?” Ander asked, walking past Heig once more, to sit on the couch. Heig walked up to him and stopped at the coffee table, putting his hands behind his back. “No, I have yet to speak with her. Why?” Heig asked. “Umbara was a trap that Theron walked us right into. He was the one who planned it. Essentially, he betrayed us.” Ander said and Heig was curious as to why Ander wasn't more emotionally unstable because of that. “Why do you need my advice then?” Heig asked. “Because I don’t believe he truly betrayed me. His reason sounded forced and his method for _killing_ me was extreme yet also easy to survive. Not only that, but he left his ship for us to just take. His ship already had a course set for Odessan plus a queued call to be made for the command center.” Ander sighed as he realized how ridiculous he sounded. Heig hummed for a bit while going over the things Ander had just told him. It all sounded intentional. “I see. It does sound like he intended for you two to survive, but,” Ander looked up at Heig. “If he did intend for you to live, then he’s actually working as a double agent. However, I don’t recommend you tell Lana any of this.”

“What? But, she wants to kill him now!”

“Yes, which is perfect.” Ander stared at Heig with a very confused look. “Listen, if Theron is trying to infiltrate a potentially dangerous group you need to let him. Lana’s revenge trail will be the absolute perfect cover he could have ever hoped for. Not only that but it will help cement him into the group as being trustworthy.” Heig said. Ander thought it over a bit and nodded. “Alright, I guess that makes sense.” Ander stood up and unlocked the door. “Thanks for this.” He looked back to Heig, who bowed and made his exit. Ander then left after him but soon noticed that Malavai was not waiting outside his door as he expected him to be. Ander then heard several voices in an uproar and instantly knew that Lana had gotten to them before he was able to. Heig peaked around the corner and made his way back to Ander. “Not a word,” Heig whispered and joined the rest of the Alliance in the Command Center. Ander sighed and reluctantly joined him.

 

Ander walked into the room and the entire room went silent. Malavai looked back at him and walked over to him. “My lord, please tell me it isn’t true what happened… Theron didn’t really betray you?” Ander sighed but nodded. “It is,” Malavai went into a state of shock and turned back to Lana. Ander hugged Malavai and made him turn back to him. “You don’t have to worry though; everything will be alright. I promise.” Ander then looked to Lana and Jaesa. “We need to discuss this, privately. The rest of you return to your assignments. We will operate as we normally do until we make a plan.” Ander then leaned down to Malavai and whispered. “Wait for me in my room, I won’t be long.” Malavai nodded and left Ander’s side. Ander reluctantly let him go and eventually joined Jaesa and Lana in a more secure room…

 

~-------------------~

 

Ander wasn't quite as pleased with Lana's revenge plan as Lana wanted him to be but thankfully Jaesa just excused his behavior with: _“It's just the Light Side way.”_ Ander really didn't like using his alignment as an end all be all, but this was different. The whole thing felt horrible but as Ander left the cantina, Jaesa quickly caught up with him. “Master, wait,” Ander turned to her, who seemed to signal him to lower his voice. Ander lowered his head and moved over to the corner next to the entrance. “Yes?” He asked. “Last night, HK brought me Koth's unconscious body and told me that Koth threatened to tell everyone that you and Mr. Quinn were sleeping together. I've taken measures to ensure he won't say anything more about it, but I'm worried Koth may have some sort of personal vendetta against Mr. Quinn.”

“Ugh…” Ander groaned in annoyance. “Can’t we just kill him?” Jaesa shook her head. “You know how Lana feels about him…” Jaesa trailed off for a moment, waiting for a guard patrol to pass by. As soon as they were out of sight, she continued. “I think it would be best to ask Mr. Quinn to move in with you. That way it would be far less likely for Koth to be able to catch him alone.”

“What about Grophl? He loves that room…” Ander whined but Jaesa saw right through his redirect. “If you want, you could let Heig take his father's room. I bet his fiance would appreciate it.” Jaesa hinted and Ander seemed to warm to the idea. “Okay, I'll ask him. If he doesn't want to though, we will just have to think of something else.”

“Of course.” Jaesa bowed before him and Ander was finally able to return to his quarters.

 

Ander entered his room to see Malavai sitting on the couch, fiddling with something on his holopad. Malavai hadn't noticed him come in, which probably meant he was either enjoying it or hating it. Ander loved it when he got engrossed in his work. It was so much easier to sneak up on him that way. Ander approached Malavai and kneeled down in front of him. It took Malavai a couple of minutes to finally glance upwards but when he did, he was more than surprised to see Ander kneeling before him. “Oh, my lord. I'm sorry. How long have you been there?” Ander laughed and stood up to sit down on the couch, next to him. “Not that long, but Jaesa told me what happened between you and Koth…”

“Ah, I see.” Ander looked at Malavai with a worrying expression. “You should have told me-”

“I don't want to cause trouble in a group that you have worked so hard to build. I don't want to be the deciding factor that determines what is and what isn't Alliance material.” Malavai said, glancing down to Ander's hands before him. He tossed his holopad down onto the coffee table and took Ander's hands into his own. Ander sighed and squeezed Malavai's hands. “Koth is definitely not Alliance material. He never asks for approval before doing something, he picks fights with both Jedi and Sith, and he's only here because he expects protection in exchange for service. He deserted from the Zakuul Navy, you know.”

“He what now? Deserted?” Malavai scoffed and scowled. “You can't be serious?! In the Empire, you'd be killed for such a thing. Everywhere else would have you imprisoned for at least twenty-five years! That traitorous bastard.”

“He wasn't on the Empire-”

“It doesn't matter. He deserted and who's to say he won't do so again. I can't believe-”

“That's why he doesn't like Senya because she was in charge of finding and detaining him.”

“That slimy bastard!” Malavai practically yelled but Ander couldn't help but chuckle. “My lord, this is hardly a laughing matter. He deserted his army, his nation! He has no rights! He made a vow when he joined and he just-” Ander silenced Malavai with a kiss, though that hardly made him calm down. “I know, I know. I made the same argument when I first heard of it.” Ander smiled at the still angry expression Malavai wore. “But, I actually wanted to ask you something…” Ander trailed off, watching Malavai closely. Malavai huffed but calmed himself. “Alright then, what is it?” Malavai asked, softly. “Would you and Grophl like to move into my room with me?” There was a moment of silence between them that made Ander more anxious than what was necessary. “So Koth won't be able to talk shit and what not…” Ander trailed off, hoping Malavai would answer soon. Malavai noticed the growing panic in Ander's eyes and knew he'd have to give his answer soon, but he already had it ready. Malavai smiled at Ander, who was slightly less anxious because of that. “I think that would be wonderful, my lord.” Ander went wide-eyed but soon shared Malavai's smile. “Really? Do you want to take my bed and I'll sleep on the couch?” Malavai looked at Ander with a puzzled look. “I don't mind sharing a bed with you, my lord, unless that makes you uncomfortable…”

“B-but, you seemed so upset by it when Koth said it…” Ander seemed a little panicked, which made Malavai smile. He forgot how innocent his lord really was. “My lord.” Malavai paused to take Ander's face into his hands. “He wasn't using it to mean that, he was suggesting that we had _sex._ ”

“Oh… That makes so much sense… Wow. Sorry, I'm stupid.” Ander said but Malavai wasn't going to let him get away with his self-deprecation. “You are nothing of the sort, my lord. Rather, you are just naive and there is nothing wrong with that.” Malavai kissed Ander and released his face.

 

“Now.” Malavai stood up off the couch and headed for the door. “I should go get Grophl and my clothes, ”

“Oh!” Malavai turned back to Ander, who followed after him. “Also, Jaesa said it might be good for Heig to take your room. She said that his fiance might enjoy the view…” Malavai ignored the part about Jaesa if only to boost Ander's confidence. “That's a wonderful idea, my lord.”

“But it wasn't my idea-”

“Will you be helping me move, my lord?”

“Of course!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you were wondering what Ander whispered to Malavai when he got back, it was either "It was a trap." Or "Theron's gone." Either work.


	29. To Find a Brother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, like the title of that one quest?? To Find a Finder? Or something like that... I don't know anymore...
> 
> Next chapter will be an intermission with some fun facts, short stories, art, and Q and A. I'll probably end up making a lot of the questions but if anyone wants to add in something, I'll answer it!

“So, let me get this straight,” Ander paused, allowing himself to rest his head in Malavai’s lap, who was sitting on the couch. “You, Arcann, Vaylin and One got this random idea that Arcann’s twin brother, who was previously presumed to be dead, may actually be alive and hiding out somewhere in Zakuul six years later?” Malavai let out a quizzical hum, realizing that his lord definitely thought he was crazy, at least from the way he made the whole thing sound. He then let out a deep sigh. “Yes, essentially.” Malavai wasn’t all too pleased about being backed into that corner but gave Ander an answer regardless. Ander, on the other hand, was ecstatic about the whole thing, however. His smile grew larger before deciding to reach up and pull Malavai down into a kiss, which was followed by several sweet pecks. “My lord-” Malavai laughed as he tried to stall Ander’s onslaught of affection. “What has gotten into you?” He asked. Ander just smiled at him for a moment as he regained his composure. “Don’t you know what this means?” Ander asked though Malavai knew far too well not to answer him. “Okay, first, before I answer that,” Ander paused to add to the suspense. “Do you know what family means?” Malavai looked at Ander with a puzzling look, curious as to what he truly wanted with that question. “A group consisting of at least one parent and one child?”

“No- Well, yes, but not what I was getting at.”

“Then what were you getting at, my lord?” Malavai asked but was met with only gentle, soft eyes and a loving hand grasping his own. The act alone could have easily made Malavai tear up, but what Ander said next was unexpected, to say the least. “Family means no one gets left behind or _forgotten_ .” Ander looked Malavai in the eye as he spoke, which only added to the emotion in his voice. “When we were separated, I thought of you constantly. Lana told me it was unhealthy, but the thought of you _alive_ gave me so much hope. We need to give them their hope back. If Thexan lives, we have to find him and bring him home.” Malavai was utterly speechless. He wasn’t quite sure what to feel but he immediately reached for his holopad and messaged Arcann and Vaylin. Ander looked at his screen and saw that Malavai had sent his same message. Ander couldn’t help but smile as a lone tear hit the screen. “Hey now, don’t cry. I love you.” Ander whispered as he sat up and wrapped his arms around Malavai.

 

Malavai tossed his holopad aside and returned Ander’s hug. “You are just so compassionate and kind, my lord…” Malavai sighed into Ander’s shoulder. “You caught me by surprise once again.” He laughed as he took a few more deep breaths, patting Ander on the back to let him know he was okay. “I wonder how I keep doing that…” Ander said, releasing Malavai, ever so slightly. Malavai looked up at Ander with a loving smile. “Alright, well, what are we going to do about Thexan then, my lord?” Malavai asked though he wasn’t really expecting a real answer any time soon. “Well,” Ander started, picking up Malavai’s holopad off the bed. “We are going to go look for him... tonight.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Malavai looked at his holopad and realized that Ander was actually sending out a message to Arcann, Vaylin, and One. He immediately tried to reach for the device but Ander floated it out of reach with the Force… Or it was Tenebrae holding it, either way, there was no way Malavai could reach it, especially with Ander holding him down. “My lord, you can’t be serious-” Malavai was starting to enter into full panic mode by that point. “I- We haven’t told Ms. Tirall anything. What if Thexan isn’t alive or we don’t find anything and-” Ander hushed him with a single finger. “That’s why we are bringing One. He is able to search and find Force users through the Force and is scarily accurate in relaying where they are in the real world as well. Also,” Ander paused to make sure Malavai was still calm. “I never expected you, of all people, to give false hope to a mother who has believed one of her children to be dead. You say I’m the compassionate one but you are too. Trust me.” Malavai took a deep breath and sighed. “You’re right, my lord. I do trust you and I believe you have the best intentions in mind but you are currently dealing with a traitor on the loose. You don’t have time to deal with-”

“Theron’s been gone a whole month. We have heard nothing for a whole month. Even if they get something while we are gone, I am giving us a time limit of six hours, which I doubt it will take that long. Trust me, please Malavai.” Ander looked at him with big eyes and Malavai was once again at his mercy. Malavai sighed in utter defeat. “Alright, my lord.” Ander smiled and kissed him tenderly. “Thank you,”

 

They waited until the whole base was quiet. Everyone but the night crew had gone to bed, which was only about twenty or so people. This made their silent leave very unnoticeable. Everyone piled into One’s ship, which was smaller on the inside than Ander thought it would be. “The ship is supposed to only house two people comfortably, as it is a recon scout vehicle.” One explained which made perfect sense to Malavai but Ander extremely lost on the idea. Malavai couldn’t help but find his lost, confused expression to be adorable. “You wouldn’t understand, my lord. This type of ship is extremely cheap to maintain yet quite expensive to buy.” Malavai said, but Ander was even more confused as to why someone would pay for a tiny expensive ship. It was quite obvious he, Arcann and Vaylin were used to bigger more accommodating ships and shuttles. Despite the annoying chit chat in the background, One had started the ship and set a course for Zakuul.

 

The silent ride to Zakuul was a bit uncomfortable but was a necessity. During this time of silence, One was able to familiarize himself with Arcann's aura, while under the presumption that his twin would have a near identical aura. One was in the middle of silent meditation when he suddenly stood up and went over to Malavai, who was piloting the ship in his stead. “Take us down into the Old World. I felt a glimpse of him there.”

“Understood.” Malavai flew the ship down into Zakuul’s spires. The unique thing about recon scout ship's besides their size was that they could land anywhere. They were too small to warrant the need for a parking license and took up too little space in a docking bay that could be used for something bigger. Not only that, but unlike fighter and attack ships, recon scout ships actually had automatic landing protocols, so they didn't need a perfectly flat surface to land on. Malavai was also pleased to learn that One's ship was also more agile, in flight, than it looked, which made the plunge into Zakuul's underbelly much easier.

 

“Here, land there.” One pointed to an open space in between two large buildings. It was a bit of a tight spot, but Malavai was able to land without scraping the edges of the wings. Once the ship was firmly on the ground, One immediately opened the storage ramp and went outside. Ander was quick to follow after him, with Malavai, Arcann, and Vaylin making their exit soon after. One looked down at the ground and scowled. The glimpse he had felt earlier was only a remnant of the past. It wasn't a complete loss, however, with that, he had found the exact signature and was able to find the exact location of Thexan but…

 

One sighed loudly, which caused Ander to become concerned. “One? Is everything alright?” One turned back to him and shook his head. “There is another pureblood nearby.” Arcann looked slightly confused and frustrated that One was getting hung up on something not even remotely related to Thexan but Ander whispered him to remain patient. “Is that a problem, One?” Ander asked yet the look One gave him suggested he shouldn't have. “Only partly.”

“What do you mean?” Ander inquired but Tenebrae intervened before the words could leave his lips. Every time he did so, it always took him by surprise, despite the fact that he was so familiar with it. It was as though time had stopped for them, yet it was only a dream, or so Tenebrae called it. Ander looked to him, who had changed the form he took to resemble more like how he did as a pureblood. “Listen, you know how One always puts off that really aggressive aura?” Ander nodded, recalling the numerous complaints from Jedi and Sith alike. “Well, he does that not to appear as confrontational, even though he probably is, he does it so he can hide his allies.”

“Wait,” Ander started, “Wouldn't that make him a bigger target though?” Tenebrae nodded. “Exactly. Pureblood parents with young children would often exert an aggressive aura so their offspring would be invisible to potential enemy Force users. At least, that's how it was when I was younger and I doubt any new pureblood families have moved to Zakuul…”

“So, there’s probably a good chance finding the pureblood will give us some clues as to Thexan's whereabouts!” Ander shouted excitedly, extremely proud of his conclusion but the confused stares from his peers quickly made him realize that his private conversation with Tenebrae had come to a close. Ander immediately shrank down to the ground and whined sadly. “Tenebrae… that was mean…”

 

Malavai was confused as to why Ander was so embarrassed and quickly went to comfort him. “Oh, my lord, what did he do?” Malavai softly asked but Ander was far too distraught to answer him. Malavai didn't want to call off the search but Ander was in no condition, mentally to do anything. “One,” Malavai started, looking away from Ander just a moment, “Can you keep them safe and find Thexan on your own?” One nodded and turned to leave. Arcann and Vaylin started to follow him when Malavai reached for Arcann, who looked at him. “Please tell him to avoid killing anyone,” Malavai said softly. Arcann nodded and started to follow One once more. Malavai then turned back to Ander, who was now in tears and holding onto Malavai's jacket like his life depended on it. It honestly surprised Malavai how severe and crippling Ander's panic attacks were for him. Despite that and the fact that Ander looked like a complete mess, Malavai was ready to comfort Ander no matter how long it took. “It's alright, my lord, it will pass…”

 

Arcann followed One just as closely as Vaylin did but he had his doubts as to how committed he was in finding his brother. It wasn't like he didn't trust One, he did, he was just unsure of everything he said about Thexan. Arcann was more than ready to accept that his brother was long dead, he had believed it for so long it was more than the natural choice but… The hope that he wasn't dead made him so happy yet so scared. What would he even say to Thexan? It was just too much to think about all at once. Arcann continued to think about an answer to his previous question until One stopped all of a sudden. “Wait here.” Arcann looked to Vaylin, who shared a similar expression of curiosity. Still, they did as One told them and waited.

 

One continued forward until he came to a small alleyway. He was about to peek around the corner when a red lightsaber was unsheathed and a pureblood woman stepped out from the shadows. Normally, One would have cut her down without further action but instead, he looked at the woman, who looked back at him. Arcann was quite a ways away but he could clearly see her yellow eyes soften as she sheathed her weapon. “Servant One.” She said, although her voice was much softer than One's, the way she spoke was nearly identical to his. “Servant Eleven…” One was surprised. For the longest time, he had believed to be the last living member of the Emperor’s Hand but to see that he, in fact, was not the last, was relieving, to say the least. Arcann noticed that One hadn’t even attempted to reach for his lightsaber and guessed that he must have known the woman. Still, it was probably best to hang back until One said otherwise.

 

“How…” One began to ask but Eleven shook her head. “I thought you were dead too. I felt them die on Korriban but I knew it was impossible for me to stop it. I followed the fleet as close as possible, once it made its return to Zakuul…” Eleven went silent for a moment, glancing back at the alley behind her. One saw a figure duck out of the way and back against the wall. He looked back at Eleven, who stared him down. “I know you are searching for him but I can’t let you have him until I know you won’t harm him. Do you understand?” Eleven asked in the lowest tone she could muster. One was hardly threatened, however. He knew she had a capacity to care that was unlike any of the other members of the Emperor’s Hand. “I do, but it was not I who wanted to see him.” One looked back to Arcann and Vaylin and Eleven looked at them as well. She took one passing glance at Arcann and realized that her purpose was coming to a close. “I see…” Eleven sighed a long waited breath and finally turned back to the alley. “It’s alright. You can come out now…” Eleven stepped aside and hung her head.

 

Arcann waited next to Vaylin as a hooded figure stepped out of the shadows. As the person lowered his hood and looked to them, Arcann could have sworn he stopped breathing at that moment. Vaylin covered her mouth and tears erupted from her eyes. She grabbed onto Arcann’s arm and tightly held onto him as she continued to cry, but Arcann, well he had nothing to say except… “I’m sorry…”

 

Thexan heard his brother’s apologetic words but none of it truly registered until he briskly walked up to him and hugged him. He then reached for Vaylin, bringing her into the same hug and holding onto them both with a strength he had forgotten. He pulled away for a moment to look his brother and sister in the eyes. The yellow their eyes once contained, the anger and hate that it represented, was no longer there. Instead, they held a purity and a sadness that couldn’t be explained by any known words. Arcann was quick to pull his brother back into another hug, grasping his arm just like they did so many times throughout their childhood. Vaylin’s tears didn’t- couldn’t stop as she held onto her older brothers, both of them willing to hug and comfort her once more. She almost felt like a child, once more, crying like she was.

 

One and Eleven watched them with hopeful silence, but One then realized that there was no way he would be able to go back to the Wrath with Eleven by his side. He quickly turned to Eleven. “Do you still have your ship?” He asked and Eleven nodded. She looked up to a nearby rooftop and there, her ship stood. “Why do you ask, One?” She inquired, but One pulled out his holoterminal and immediately sent out a call to Ander.

 

“Wrath.”

“One? What’s wrong? Where’s Arcann and Vaylin?” One waved his hand. “It’s alright. They live. We found him but we also found Eleven.” Ander nearly choked. “Wait, Servant Eleven? Of the Emperor’s Hand?” One nodded and soon Eleven appeared next to him. “She was protecting him. However, she doesn't have a visor. We cannot return with you. I will return with her ship. I am sending the children back to you. Expect them soon.” One quickly ended the call and Ander looked to Malavai, who shared his surprise. “Well, this is…”

“A huge surprise!” Ander finished Malavai’s sentence and laughed with him as they hugged. “Commander!” Ander looked up to Arcann, who was practically dragging Thexan along with him and Vaylin. Thexan seemed surprised to see his brother so excited but was even more so when Ander nearly tackled him to the ground. Ander hugged him and then hugged Arcann and Vaylin. “It’s official guys, I’m adopting you guys as my new siblings!”

“My lord, I’m sorry but that isn’t how that works.” Ander pouted at Malavai, which made everyone else smile. “Aw c’mon! Let me have this!” Ander yelled. “We should be getting back. Ms. Tirall is sure to be having a fit.”

“She wasn’t awake when we left though!”

“You’d be surprised, my lord.” They all managed to squeeze into One’s ship and finally make their way back to Odessan…

 

As he said, One had made it back to Odessan with Eleven on her ship, surprisingly before Ander did. Which had actually worked in their favor, as not only did he manage to get a visor for Eleven but they were able to stall Senya. Though it was quickly evident that Malavai’s prediction was correct as Senya was about two seconds from committing genocide unless she saw her children. Ander quickly got off the ship, in the hopes to calm her but she quickly unleashed her wrath on him. Tenebrae had to help Ander dodge her attacks but as soon as Arcann stepped out of the ship, she seemed to calm down a bit.

 

“Where have you been?! I have been worried sick! Sneaking out in the middle of the night and-” Senya went dead silent, however, when Vaylin and Thexan finally exited the ship. She looked at all three of them and inspected them over without a word. She finally burst into tears as she wrapped her arms around Thexan. Thexan seemed to share the sentiment as he fell to his knees. He returned his mother’s hug and looked up to Ander, only to see the ghost of Valkorion shift into the visage of Tenebrae. Tenebrae gave him a sad smile and whispered to him: “I’m sorry.” Thexan wasn’t sure if it that ghost was really his father but whispered back: “It’s alright.” Tenebrae’s jaw dropped and he quickly retreated back to Ander’s mind.

 

Several minutes after the tears had started to dry, however, Jaesa walked up to Arcann. Her hands were slightly shaking but she did her best to hide them underneath the many layers of her robes. “Arcann…” Arcann looked at her with a worried expression, as her voice sounded coarse and weaker than it usually was. “I was worried when I heard you had left in the middle of the night. I was more worried when everyone said they hadn’t been told anything but…” She laughed nervously. “I see now it was for a good reason. I’m just glad you’re back.” Jaesa smiled. Arcann was at a loss for words, which Jaesa hardly minded as she bowed and quickly walked away. Though, Ander did see a flash of red on her cheeks as she left. That made him super excited and was about to go tell Arcann when Malavai stopped him. “My lord, best not to interrupt the natural course of things,” Malavai said in a snarky tone. Ander groaned but sighed in defeat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hated writing this one, I'll be honest. I loved the idea of it but my body was like, "There is too much shit going on in real life right now! I can't be bothered right now! Let me be lazy!" So essentially, I forced myself to finish this. But it's still good... Maybe...


	30. Intermission 2.0

Woooooo Thirty chapters in and I haven't killed anyone yet! Congrats me! Of course, I never would have gotten this far if it weren't for all the support from all the people who have read this far and left comments, kudos, and bookmarks. Really, I appreciate everything. Unfortunately, I have a confession to make… There was another fanfic I wrote that I have yet to complete and it was literally left on a cliffhanger near the very end. It has been over a year since I posted on it and I feel terrible. I hope y'all don't mind me putting this up as a gift, so I can shift focus and complete my other work. Hopefully, this will tide y'all over until I can get back to this…

 

**\-------------------------**

**Fun Facts**

**\-------------------------**

 

Ander= Male Sith Warrior (duh). Aria= Dark Side Female Sith Warrior (tank spec). Alessin= Dark Side Female Sith Inquisitor (damage spec). Heig= Light Side Imperial Agent (heal spec).

 

Although Aria and Alessin are Dark Side, it is rare for them to kill or even threaten Imperial soldiers/officers. They were raised alongside Ander to believe that if you take your frustrations out on your allies, you have no right to take offense to the enemy's taunts. They were all raised to uphold themselves to higher standards by their father which has only been amplified since his death.

 

If Ander was an animal, he'd be a wolf hybrid (half wolf, half husky). He can be vicious and scary but is mostly aggressive when others threaten his "pack" but also loves cuddles and is super friendly.

 

The way Ander reacts to Malavai's free reassignment and Malavai's appearance at his ship in Chapter 1, Come With Me, is a direct pull from my own reaction from my first playthrough on SWTOR ever. Yes, I was screaming in real life.

 

Ander and Malavai are 20 years apart in age. Ander was 18 years old in chapter 1 and Malavai was 38 years old in the same chapter. The *True Ending will definitely play into this but there will be a time skip to allow room for short stories.

 

Speaking of reactions, Ander's initial hatred of Pierce is how I felt about the dude. I still don't want him.

 

The title of Chapter 4, The Determination to Continue On, is a reference to Toby Fox's Undertale.

 

In the chapter, Whispers, Valkorion is clearly described because I literally cut out the entirety of Shadow of Revan. I had to think of a quick fix as to why he could speak to Ander a galaxy away, so I made him a god... Who also can't multitask.

 

Grophl was designed from the start to be the one to help get Ander and Malavai together.

 

Grophl's personality is a mix of a pug and a pit bull. He loves to give kisses like a pit bull and is an absolute attention whore like a pug.

 

Ander's depression does NOT stem from his father's assassination.

 

I decided to share Malavai and Heig's home life on the military base after I visited an American military base for a friend's boot camp graduation. I learned quite a bit about military bases while I was there and knew it would be perfect for my story.

 

Malavai's wife and Heig's mother has always been a struggle for me to decide on. I figured a heartless genetically enhanced person would be a perfect throwaway that would still add some tragedy to Malavai's life.

 

I also inadvertently saved Malavai's dad... The wiki says he died in battle. Welp.

 

Vette is Bisexual because I think it suits her character. Even though all of the companions should be player-sexual but whatever.

 

Ander forgot to buy that bag of treats for Grophl. He is worst grophet dad ever. Malavai is best grophet dad.

 

The Artifact's Operating System is Windows and the system they play on is a PlayStation 4. Yes, they played {redacted}. I don't wanna get sued...

 

The Artifact's Machine specs are mostly based on real-life research. The Nuclear Diamond Battery was a real thing, though I am unsure as to if it actually went anywhere but let's assume it did in that universe.

 

**\-------------------------**

**Q/A**

**\-------------------------**

 

Q: Why would you change the Star Wars Canon? It works perfectly fine!

A: Said no one ever. At least I hope not. Geez, George Lucas is such a bimbo when it comes to creating a believable yet impossibly imaginative world I'm surprised the editors didn't look at it and call him an idiot. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Star Wars but the official and now non-official expanded universe canon is fucked.

 

Q: Omg, you like the Sith? Why?

A: Have you seen or even thought about the absolute havoc and chaos even 1 Dark Side Jedi would wreck? I'll take my chances with my Light Side Sith, thank you very much.

 

Okay, enough with the unpopular opinions... On to the fanfic related ones.

 

Q: Are you going to give every character/couple an ending?

A: Kind of. The major ones will appear in the *True Ending while I hope to resolve the rest in the actual story itself.

 

Q: How long is this going to be?

A: *Shrugs*

 

Q: Why did you decide to do such a weird intermission?

A: To be honest? It's a hiatus so I can complete my other work, Love and Wisdom and be done with it. I may also do a special cross over in a separate work but we will see about that.

 

Q: If Aria is a female Sith Warrior, why didn't you just ship her with Malavai?

A:...Ander came first. But in all seriousness, Ander was my first character ever and there is a special place in my heart for him, so he gets center stage.

 

**\-------------------------**

**Short Stories**

**\-------------------------**

 

"Alright, my lord," Malavai started. He and Ander had been asking each other random questions that evening and it had turned into somewhat of a fun pass time that they planned to elaborate on later. "What is your favorite planet?"

"Balmorra," Ander was quick to deliver his answer, which kind of threw Malavai off. "Alright- Wait, what? Why Balmorra, my lord?" Ander glanced down and back up at the question. His eyes grew softer and larger as he spoke. "It's where I met you..." Ander's voice was quiet but sure. Malavai’s face blushed deeply and Ander's eyes lit up as he drew closer to him, offering reassuring sweet kisses and whispering to him. "I love you, Malavai." Ander brushed his lips against Malavai's ears, which made the officer even more flustered. Malavai pulled Ander down into a tight hug, somewhat restraining him in the process. "I love you too, my lord."

 

\------------------------

 

Jaesa sat with Vette in her room as they spent a regular girl's night together, talking, playing games and so on. Vette was half lounging on Jaesa's bed, sipping a smoothie she had gotten earlier, while Jaesa was sitting at her desk. Vette wasn't particularly paying attention to Jaesa's rant as she rambled on about how she felt towards Arcann. After all, she had heard it all once before with Ander. She wondered how it always came to her being the person to tell about secret crushes but it was better than other things. Vette finally decided to look over and check on her friend but was met with an absolute mess. Vette jumped up and went over to Jaesa, who was full on crying at that point, a puddle had formed underneath her head.

 

"He and his brother must think I'm a fucking idiot... I'm delusional, I have to be. Why would a handsome prince ever fall in love with an ex-handmaiden and ex-Jedi?!" Jaesa cried and Vette just gently rubbed her back. "I don't think I have to mention the stories that had similar plots..." Vette hummed but was met with an unamused glare from Jaesa. "Please, Vette, those are fairy tales, they aren't real..." Vette shrugged. "They had to get the idea from somewhere." Jaesa ignored Vette's attempt to jest and returned to her puddle of anguish. Vette sighed and set her cup down onto the desk. "I could always tell Ander-"

"No!" Jaesa jumped up from her seat, surprising Vette and almost tipping her drink. "You cannot tell Master. He will be most upset with me!" Vette rolled her eyes at the panicked girl before her. "That doesn't really sound like him, now does it?" Jaesa looked questionably at her but then soon realized that she was most definitely correct. Ander wasn't the type of person to punish someone for loving another. Jaesa laughed anxiously, however, still unsure of what Vette was planning to tell her master. "What... will you tell him?" She asked quietly. Vette shrugged again. "Probably something like Jaesa's needs a good friend to listen to her and you were in the same boat once." Jaesa looked at Vette with a soft smile. "You're a good friend too." She laughed and Vette smiled. "Yeah, but he gets it. I don't have crushes, I just tell them." Vette hugged Jaesa, who hugged her in return. "Thanks."

 

**\-------------------------**

**Art**

**\-------------------------**

 

 

 

 

 

If you were wondering, I did draw these myself. They are featured on my deviant art page at:

**<https://www.deviantart.com/newly-done> **

 

I shouldn't be gone long. Just a couple days to do some other work and then another week to rest my typing hands. So I should be back to writing sometime around June 14. See ya then!


	31. New Leads and Journeys

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops. 2 days early. Well, sorry guys.

Heig briskly walked into the Alliance Command Center, holopad in hand. He ignored Ander, the Alliance Commander, and went straight for Lana. He handed off the holopad to her and stood silently beside her. Lana quickly scanned over the information before her and a small smile appeared on her face. She handed the holopad back to Heig. “Tell the Chiss Ascendency that we will arrange a meeting with them. If Theron is on Copero, we will help them with whatever they need, so long as they let us have Theron.” Heig bowed and quickly left the room while typing something into his holopad.

 

Ander, who had been watching the entire exchange, walked over to Lana. “Chiss Ascendency?” He asked and Lana’s smile grew. “He’s causing trouble amongst the Chiss.” Lana laughed quietly. “He’s getting sloppy.” Lana left the room soon after. Ander sighed and thought.  _ He’s probably doing it on purpose. _ Malavai’s approach then brought Ander out of his thoughts and he happily turned to him. “My lord, I know you have more important things to address to but I just wanted to let you know that my son’s fiance works for the Chiss Ascendency. It is more than likely that it was her who tipped him off. Would it be alright if we stood with you when you greet them? I have a suspicion that she may be accompanying them.” Malavai asked. Ander snorted and his eyes lit up. “Of course you can. What does she look like?” Ander looked very excited and Malavai couldn’t help but smile. “Her name is Raina Temple and she is very polite and petite. You’ll know her when you see her.”

  
  
  


Of course, Ander would be able to tell which one she was, being the only human to be employed by the Chiss Ascendency, Ander immediately spotted her. Lana took care of the negotiations while Ander had a talk with Raina separately. “Are you Raina Temple?”

“Yes, sir,”

 

Meanwhile, Heig and Malavai were in complete view of their exchange and watched as Ander hugged Raina with a level of excitement only he could muster. Raina didn’t seem the least bit uncomfortable with it but Heig’s jealousy was becoming quite obvious. Malavai grabbed his son by the shoulder and held him back. Heig looked back at his father with an angered expression. “He’s hugging my fiance…”

“Yes, it is his preferred greeting.”

“But she’s  **my** fiance.”

“You don’t need to be possessive. She still loves you.” As if on cue, Raina looked past Ander to smile at Heig, who slightly blushed in response. Malavai released his overprotective son and watched as Raina asked Ander to let go so she could return to the arms of her one true love. Heig gladly wrapped his arms around her, bringing her into a loving embrace. Ander quickly returned to Malavai's side soon after.

 

Heig released Raina and looked her up and down. "New clothes, I see." Raina blushed and nodded. "I wanted to surprise you. Do you like it?" Heig nodded. "You guys match…" Ander said suddenly and Heig was slightly confused about what he meant until he realized that she indeed was wearing a custom-tailored white suit.  _ It fits her better though _ , Heig thought. The two were so absorbed in each other's presence that it came as a surprise when Saguna suddenly called out to Raina. She quickly separated herself from Heig and saluted him.

 

"Sir?" She asked. Saguna rolled his eyes at her but resisted reprimanding her for her public display of affection. "You will accompany the Commander onto Copero-"

"Excuse me, sir, but I have a request." Saguna looked at Heig, slightly irritated by his interruption but let him continue. Heig nodded and resumed. "I ask you send me in Raina's place. You and I have worked together before, you know I can be trusted but also I am an officially certified battle medic. I would be far more useful to the Commander as his fighting style is far more… risky." Heig put his hands behind his back as he spoke, it made him seem more convincing when he did that, Ander thought anyway. Malavai did it all the time and Ander was sure that was some trick to it all. Sure enough, Saguna accepted Heig's proposal and he left with Ander.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Ander and Heig were quiet on the ride over there until Ander's curiosity took over. "So that was your fiance?" He asked, hoping Heig would talk with him a bit. "Yes-"

"When's the wedding?" Heig was taken aback by Ander's sudden question that it took him a moment to respond. "Um, not anytime soon. Why?" Ander was slightly disappointed by his response. "Oh, well. I just really like the idea of weddings. Getting the chance to celebrate your love together with everyone you know is just a really nice thought." Heig was surprised by Ander's answer and was curious if he could redirect the conversation. "So, you think you could marry my Dad?" Heig watched as Ander's face turned bright red. Ander laughed nervously as he stumbled over his words. "W-Well, I mean… if he's okay with it- I dunno. I guess I'll have to ask him."

"Make sure you do, then," Heig warned, before returning to his holopad.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Ander and Heig landed on Copero unheard and out of sight. They soon realized that getting to Theron was going to be a challenge, as the streets were crawling with armed soldiers and battle droids, killing anyone who stepped foot onto the streets. Apparently, Theron and his new friends had caused the entire planet to go into a full-on civil war with itself. Ander peered around the corner and cursed underneath his breath, before turning back to Heig. "As much as I don't want to, I think we may have to kill everyone to get past them." Heig shook his head. "Not unless we sneak past them." He pulled out a circular object from his gear pack and attached it to Ander's right arm. "Is this?" Ander looked quizzically at Heig, who nodded. "It's the same stealth generator I use. Once it's activated, you will be invisible to everyone and everything. Not even droid scanners will pick you up. The only way we could possibly be spotted is if someone throws a bucket of paint on us…" Ander had to make a double take at him. "That's oddly specific…" Ander said. "It also applies to flour, water, tar, and anything else that can stick to you or make it super obvious that someone is obstructing it."

"Oh ok. Well," Ander paused to activate the cloak. "Should I lead or-"

"Follow me, closely," Heig ordered, as he cloaked himself and left the safe house.

 

Heig stopped at a street intersection and signaled Ander to do the same. Ander thought it was strange that he could still see Heig but he decided to wait until after they got back, to Odessan, to ask. "We can't go this way, we have to go around," Heig said, looking around for another path but there wasn't. Heig grew frustrated but quickly realized that he was traveling with a Sith. He quickly turned back to Ander. "Can you fling a rock with the Force and distract them long enough for us to slip past?" Ander shrugged. "I suppose but why?" Heig turned back around and pointed to the plants that lined the paths. "If we walk amongst those, they will see the flowers moving and investigate," Ander finally understood and looked for a sizeable rock to throw. He chucked it from the other side of the street at one of the battle droids and immediately, every soldier in the area was surrounding the droid. They waited until the soldiers dispersed, in search of the fool that dared to attack them, before quickly sneaking past.

  
  


They practically ran into the palace before removing their cloaks. A loud gasp caused Heig to grab his gun and point it towards the owner of the noise, who was none other than Syndic Zenta, the one who offered protection to Theron. Heig made no attempt to let the woman escape and yelled at her. "Don't move!" She froze in place as Heig made his way over to her and put the barrel of his blaster to her head. "On your knees, now."

"Please, don't hurt me. I'll do what you say so please." She whimpered as she sat down on her knees. "Agent. You are wasting your time. Kill her." Saguna's voice came in through both Heig’s and Ander's earpiece. "What?" Ander asked in a panic as he quickly made his way to Heig. "Not my call to make, sir. The Commander outranks me." Though Heig wasn't employed by the Alliance and never would be, it was still an Alliance operation. He looked to Ander for an answer. "No." He started. "We won't kill her. You can come pick her up and decide then but we won't kill someone who is defenseless." Heig nodded and restrained Zenta before moving on with Ander.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


The ride back to Odessan was absolutely silent. They had failed to catch Theron and the map, that Theron had been after, was completely destroyed. They learned from Zenta that the map would have led them to a super weapon. That made Ander worry. What if Theron had actually defected, then they would actually be in trouble. Ander sighed heavily and looked to Heig, who honestly didn't look worried at all. "How can you be so calm? What if Theron really did betray us? What if-"

"He didn't. He had to blow up the map to throw off the group he's working for. Trust me." Heig said without even bothering to look up at Ander. Ander huffed and sat properly in his seat again. "You make it sound like you have been a double agent before."

"Yep."

"Wait, you have?"

"Yes, but don't tell my dad. I had to blow up an arms factory on Quesh, in order to take out the SIS's most infamous group." Ander looked at Heig with wide eyes. "That was you?" He asked. Heig finally looked up at Ander with a raised brow. "You were there to see it?" Heig asked and Ander nodded. "The troops were in a panic. It was kind of insane as there was another factory blown up right before that one. Haha-"

"That was me too." Ander looked at Heig with the most shocked expression. Heig took that as a sign that he won the argument. "My point stands."

  
  
  


Lana wasn't too pleased about the news but Heig assured her that Theron would be found if they just focused on radio static. Lana was skeptical but Heig's point that Theron would have to relay the map's info back to the main group got her on board. Ander was more than pleased by Heig’s assistance as there was no way he would have thought of that. Eventually, he was able to retire to his room and return to Malavai's side.

  
  


Ander breathed a sigh of relief and utter contentment as he laid his head on Malavai’s lap. Malavai smiled and ran his fingers through his lord's head. "My son took good care of you, I see," Malavai hummed. Ander nodded. "Yeah… is he actually a certified battle medic?" Malavai laughed softly and shook his head. "Not in the slightest. I taught him what I knew but as far as I know he never actually took the exam." Ander hummed and looked up at Malavai. "Hey, so, um," Malavai looked down at his lord, waiting for him to continue. "I was just wondering… If I were to ask, would you marry me?" Malavai's cheeks flushed and he put a hand over Ander's eyes. "My lord, are you seriously going to do this now?" Ander panicked underneath his hand but just ended up whimpering, which caused Grophl to start doing the same. Malavai managed to calm both of them down before releasing Ander and continuing his thought.

 

"I-" Malavai laughed softly. "Are you proposing to me? Is that it? Do you want to get married?" Ander sat up, looking a bit ashamed but Malavai did his best to comfort him. He pulled Ander close and caressed his cheek. "I'm not angry with you. I was just surprised." Ander nodded and leaned forward, resting his head against Malavai’s shoulder. "If you are fine with it then… yes." Ander said softly. Malavai had to take a moment to recompose himself as he was sure he had misheard Ander the first time but… "My lord," Malavai started, taking Ander's hand into his own. "When this is all over, I would love to marry you." Ander looked back up at Malavai, once more, with wide eyes. The smile he had was contagious and it wasn't long before Ander was infected. Ander reached up and kissed him. "I love you, Malavai."

"I love you too, my lord."

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

"Hey, Dad," Heig said as he sat next to Malavai at the cantina table. Malavai looked at him and smiled. "Morning, Heig." Heig was happy to see his father in a good mood. "You look happy today, anything good happen last night?" Heig asked, hoping his suspicion was correct. Malavai took a moment before answering, as the thought came with a joy he hadn't felt in years. "My lord proposed to me last night…" Heig could hear the happiness in his father's voice. "And? Did you accept?" Malavai looked at Heig with a soft smile. "How could I not? Of course, I did."

"Good, you deserve to be happy."

"Heig…"

"No, Dad, you have taken care of me for twenty-five years and never once have I seen you do something for yourself. You deserve to be happy. If you want to marry the Commander then I'll make sure you get the best wedding ever." Malavai smiled and pat Heig on the back. "Okay," Malavai paused. "But you have to have your wedding before I do. My lord and I don't mind waiting."

"But Dad-"

"No buts."


	32. Force of Healing

"So," Raina started, looking at Heig and catching his attention. "Your dad finally got the boy?" Her question was an obvious rhetorical one though it was likely that she just wanted to hear actual confirmation. Heig sighed a rather annoyed breath. "So it seems." Raina drew closer and Heig finally rested his head in the crook of her neck, wrapping his arms around her torso as he did so. "Oh? Then why are you taking care of Grophl?"

"Well, I think he actually wanted to stay with us tonight..."

"As if we are more interesting than his parents..."

"What do you mean _parents_?" Heig sounded slightly offended as he watched Raina get off of the bed and approach the pup with open arms. Grophl didn't hesitate as he smothered her in kisses. Raina giggled into the pup's furry body before retreating back to Heig's arms, though it wasn't like he minded that part. Her laugh was a rare thing to hear and he absolutely loved it. He pulled her into a sweet tender kiss. They broke apart only for a moment before reuniting once more.

 

Heig broke their kiss and whispered words of utter sweetness. "I missed you." He said as he brushed a soft kiss on the back of her hand. Raina sighed, her cheeks blushing. "I missed you too." Heig paused for a long moment, deciding whether or not to discuss such a thing. Raina noticed his absent-minded stare and grew worried. "Heig?" She asked and was met with disheartened eyes. Heig sighed slowly and pulled away from her.

 

He stood up from the bed and walked over to the balcony. He looked up at that gnarled branch and began to think that it may be foolish to confide in her. Yet she surprised him when she came to stand beside him, grasping his hand with her smaller one. She didn't utter a word as she looked at him with a soft and supporting gaze. He looked into those bright eyes and felt a love he had come to expect from her. He took in a sharp breath. "The Commander told me he didn't believe Theron betrayed him. When we failed to catch up to him on Copero, he began to have his doubts. I told him not to worry but..."

"You are starting to have doubts yourself..."

"Yes." Heig sighed, tightening his grip on Raina's hand. "If I'm wrong, an unknown enemy has its hands on the location of an ancient superweapon." Raina hummed as she listened to Heig's fears and anxieties. She gently rubbed her thumb against Heig’s hand, hoping it would calm him. "I think..." Heig refocused on his fiance, her sweet voice pulling him from his thoughts. "With what you've been through. You know better than anyone what to believe in that situation. I trust your judgment, over even Lana's." Heig snickered and smiled at her. "No, you don't. At least, don't tell her that. She'd be pissed." Raina smiled at Heig's response but grabbed his cheek with her free hand. "Don't worry. Things will work out." Heig nodded and leaned down to kiss Raina one more time. They pulled away smiling. "Shall we go down for dinner?" She asked. Heig nodded. "Let me take Grophl out to the bathroom and we'll meet you there."

"Alright."

 

Raina stepped into the cantina and immediately spotted Ander and Malavai and made her way over to them. Malavai noticed her approach and smiled at her. "Good evening, Sir, Commander." She bowed to them and Ander finally noticed her, he was wondering why Malavai was smiling. "Oh! Raina, hi! It's okay if I call you that, right? Sorry..." Ander trailed off but his anxiety diminished when Raina smiled at him. "That's fine, Sir." She waved her hands as she spoke and Ander could have sworn he felt a small, barely noticeable ripple through the Force. He ignored the feeling. "Okay, do you want to join us for dinner?" He asked excitedly but Malavai jumped in before she could answer. "My lord, I think she would rather spend dinner with her fiance. Speaking of which, where is Heig?" He asked. "Heig went to let Grophl go potty. He said he will meet me afterward, though I doubt he would mind sharing a table. I'll go order our meals if you are alright with that?"

"Of course, Raina. You are always such a pleasure." Raina smiled and bowed, before leaving for C2-N2. Malavai then turned back to Ander but noticed that he was watching her out of the corner of his eye. "My lord?"

"She's Force sensitive."

"I'm sorry, what? How do you know?" Malavai couldn't believe what Ander was saying but he sounded so sure of it. "She sent a ripple through the Force, though I don't think she meant to. Just... Thank goodness she's here and not anywhere else." Malavai leaned in closer to him. "You don't mean to say..."

"The Sith want young acolytes. Someone who is easily taught and morphed into their ideals. Once you hit a certain age, you are nothing more than a waste of time."

"My lord..." Ander looked at Malavai with a surprised look. "Hey, I'm not suggesting anything but it's probably best she learns how to use the Force. I mean I could teach her if she wanted..." Malavai smiled and Ander's face blushed slightly. "I see. Well, perhaps, you should talk to my son about it first."

"Talk about what?" Ander just about jumped in his seat, while Malavai had already seen Heig approach. Heig raised an eyebrow at the two before looking around the room for his fiance. Heig made an incomprehensible sound as he looked towards the kitchen door to see Raina being bothered by Koth. Ander looked up and groaned. Malavai looked to Heig and managed to stop him from doing anything rash, though he was done with Koth in every form. "Stay here. I'll take care of this." Ander said, making his way over to Koth. Heig wanted to just shoot the man but Malavai urged him to let Ander handle it.

 

As Ander approached the fool and the beauty, he heard the foulest, most despicable, most stupid exchange ever. Koth tried to make himself appear _sexy_ as he put his hand on the wall behind Raina, getting closer than necessary to her. "Hey, cutie. You sure you don't want to be with a real man?" Raina looked at him with the most disgusted expression. "Yes, I am very sure as I am already spoken for." Koth snickered. "Sure, but you aren't married yet. You can mess around. You're still young. What do you say?"

"Koth! You stupid piece of shit!" Koth looked away from Raina just in time to see Ander Force Pull him away from her and throw him back onto the cantina floor. Raina took the chance to get as far away from the situation and return to her love. Ander, on the other hand, wasted no time in physically picking Koth up and dragging him out of the cantina. "I swear to the Emperor, if you ever talk to her ever again I will skin you alive."

"Chill, man. I didn't mean it. I was just flirting." Koth tried to wiggle his way out of punishment but Ander was not having it. "Bullshit. Every time you open your mouth you say something stupid. You won't get out of this one. I will tell Lana and later we will discuss this." He threw Koth out of the cantina and watched him slither away before rejoining his group. The rest of the cantina was silent as Ander made his way back to his seat. Ander sighed and finally said, "Look, he fucking deserved it." To which the cantina started back up in its usual chatter.

 

"You did good, my lord," Malavai said. Ander grimaced but did his best to hide his anger for the man. "Like, he's just so stupid. I actually fucking hate him. Almost as much as I hate Pierce." Malavai sighed and nodded, remembering that Ander only hated only two people in the entire galaxy. "Thank you, for defending my fiance."

"Yes, your assistance was most appreciated." Heig and Raina both gave him a respectful bow. Ander nodded but didn't say anything else for the rest of the dinner service.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Heig was on his way back to his room when he spotted Ander standing next to the elevator, no doubt waiting for him. Heig sighed and approached the Commander. Ander turned to him. "You know, don't you?" Heig was taken aback by his question. The look Ander gave him suggested he knew something that which was most definitely kept a secret. "Know what?" Heig tried to play dumb, hoping he was wrong. "About Raina and how she's Force sensitive." Heig's eyes grew wide and his mind immediately went to the darkest of possibilities. Ander could sense his panic and continued. "I mean no harm, instead I wanted to help. Help her learn how to use the Force. Everyone here... They are just friends. Well, except for Koth, but the rest of us have definitely built a friendly community. Not only could she learn but also be protected. Just... Think about it. Okay?" Heig didn't answer him, opting to remain silent instead. Ander nodded, knowing the decision he had to make and returned to his room. Heig stood there for a moment, before returning to his own.

 

Heig walked into his room to see Raina sitting at the desk, seemingly waiting for him as she looked up at him as soon as he entered. "Welcome back, Heig." She said as she got up from the desk and made her way into her lover's arms. However, she quickly noticed Heig's silence and looked up at him with a worried expression. "Heig?" Heig sighed and led Raina over to the bed to sit with him. He looked into those deep brown eyes he came to love so much. "The Commander knows that you're Force-sensitive..." Raina's eyes grew wide and her frown deepened. "But, he said he wants to help teach you how to use it."

"Seriously?" Heig shrugged. "He sounded genuine but do you even want to learn?" He asked. Raina didn't answer right away, which made him worry. "I..." Raina started. "I don't know. My father was always so persistent in keeping me from learning the Force that I never thought I could even seek it out when I was older. Not like I could have among the Sith but would the Sith here even accept me?" She asked but Heig froze up. _Accept Raina?_ His mind told him **never**. His memories reminded him that the Sith attack **without** **warning** and **without mercy**. Heig shut his eyes as the vivid images flashed before them.

 

\---------------------

 

He was playing under his dad's desk, in the military base. He was off for the winter break and he didn't want to stay home that day. His father told him he could come to work with him if he promised to stay quiet. _Anything_ , he thought, if only to get him out of that house. He agreed and he played with his model cars quietly until he heard his dad stop typing. "My lord?" His father asked. Heig looked back at his dad, who didn't look down, before looking behind him to see the shadow on someone in front of the desk. Without a single spoken word from the person, his dad was thrown back with the Force. Heig watched as his father hit the wall and slump down onto the ground, unmoving. Heig ran out from under the desk, to his father's side. His head was bleeding profusely and Heig thought he was dead. Heig looked up at the man responsible only to be met with a wicked smile. The man silently walked away, leaving the building.

 

Heig cried all night at the hospital until his dad finally woke up. Thankfully, he survived that encounter but Raina might not...

 

\---------------------

 

Heig was pulled from his mind with a violent tug of his shoulders. He looked up to see Raina in tears, trying her hardest to get him to say something. "Raina?" He asked and she pulled him into a tight embrace. "I thought you were under the mind control again... I thought-" Heig returned her embrace. "I'm sorry. I just have bad experiences with Sith. I... One almost killed my dad when I was younger. I don't want the same to happen to you." Raina wiped her tears on Heig’s jacket and rested her head in the crook of his neck. "I-I understand, but I don't think your father would be dating a man who would hurt him. I think we can trust him." Heig nodded and held Raina tighter. Tomorrow, they would go tell the Commander their decision together. For now, however, they needed some time alone, together.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Malavai was combing his hair into his usual style. He was mostly satisfied with it until Ander had walked into the washroom and ran his hand through Malavai's hair. "My lord…" Malavai sighed and proceeded to comb it back once more. He then turned back to Ander, who was in the process of taking his shirt off. Seeing the man's bare back and how beautifully sculpted it was, made Malavai blush and leave the washroom. Ander immediately started whining and apologizing, though much of it was incomprehensible. Malavai still understood most of it, having grown used to Ander's speech, and called from the other side of the door. "It's alright, my lord. You take a shower and I will be here waiting for you." Malavai heard another small whine come from the room before hearing the shower turn on. He breathed a sigh of relief and looked for his holopad.

 

Of course, he found it on top of the dresser. Ander's quarters didn't have a bedside table or even a corner table. Yet, after witnessing Ander violently roll out of bed more than a few times, that was probably for the best. Malavai went down the steps to the 'living area' of the room to sit on the couch. The room layout was odd, to say the least, but Malavai hardly minded. He checked his messages first, as he always did, and found he had one message from Heig, approximately fifteen minutes old. He immediately opened the message and sent a reply. "We'll be down in a bit _,_ " Heig replied. _We?_ Malavai wondered but got up from his seat and went back over to the washroom door. "My lord." He called and heard the water shut off. "Yes?" Ander answered back. "Heig wishes to talk to you. He will be here in approximately two minutes."

"Eh?! Um- Shit! Malavai I need some clothes!" Malavai smiled, quietly laughing in his mind at his lord's panic and proceeded to retrieve him a clean pair of clothing. He handed them to Ander, through the door, and waited patiently. Ander rushed out the door but was stopped by Malavai. "B-But we don't have time. He will be here any second."

"We have plenty of time," Malavai started, pulling Ander's shirt off, tucking in his undershirt and putting his shirt back onto him - inside right. He grabbed his comb from the washroom and combed Ander's hair into its usual shape and style, which could only be described as half-assed. He then put away the comb, walked to the door while holding up three fingers and slowly counting down to one finger. As soon as the last finger returned to the rest of the fist, the door opened and Heig and Raina walked in. Ander was in utter shock and awe. He ignored the couple and immediately turned to Malavai. "You are a genius, Malavai," Ander ran down the steps and hugged Malavai, who chuckled at his adorable excitement. "You are amazing and I love you. You're the best Imperial officer ever." Raina and Heig watched the two of them and found it to be quite endearing, which surprised Heig. However, they came to do one thing and one thing only. Heig cleared his throat and Ander's eyes widened as he remembered that he was not alone with Malavai. He looked at Heig and gave him a sheepish smile. "Oh… Right. Hi." Was all Ander managed to muster. Heig was planning on making a comment about it but the look he received from his father told him to refrain. Instead, Heig bowed respectfully.

 

"Commander, we have made a decision on what we discussed yesterday." Heig started and Raina finished. "Yes, sir. I would be honored to receive training from you and anyone else you might recommend." Ander's eyes lit up and a wide smile graced his face. He immediately pulled both of them into a big hug. "Oh, I'm so glad! You won't regret this! Jaesa would love to teach you what she's learned and Ashara is super nice and supportive. Even Vaylin and Arcann have proven to be great teachers. And, before you judge, Darth Marr and Darth Ravage are super nice now and are totally badass when it comes to teaching even non-Force sensitive people how to protect themselves against Force attacks! Everyone is super nice! They are gonna be so happy to have a new Force-sensitive to talk to." Raina and Heig seemed a little overwhelmed by Ander's rant and Heig stepped in. "Now, hold on." Ander calmed down and gave him his full attention. "We just want her to be able to hide and not give herself away. We don't want people to know that she is Force sensitive."

"Okay, but we won't tell anyone. We aren't-"

"No, you won't, but we can't trust everyone else. We especially can't trust the _Sith_ ." Malavai instantly recognized the tone Heig used. The hatred and distrust that he too had felt for so many years. He looked up at Ander and saw the pain in his eyes. _Sith_ , he was-is a Sith. Heig just said that he couldn't trust Ander, he wouldn't trust him. Malavai was not going to let that slide. It took one swift motion as Malavai backhanded Heig.

 

Heig recoiled and grabbed his cheek. Raina and Ander were both shocked and could do nothing but watch the whole thing unfold. "Dad?" Heig asked as he looked up at his father's still raised hand. Malavai finally lowered his hand, readjusting his glove as he did so. Malavai took a deep breath and finally locked eyes with Heig. "I taught you to fear the unknown. To trust nothing you can't see. To hate that which has wronged and hurt you." Heig looked down at the ground before glancing up to look at Raina and Ander. "However, my lord has not wronged you. He has not hurt you and neither have any of the other Sith and Jedi here. They have been kind, they have been merciful and most of all, they have been accommodating. They have put their trust and faith in you and I think they deserve the same in return. Do you understand?" Heig nodded and removed his hand from his cheek, the mark had turned red and still stung quite a bit. Ander frowned and reached out his hand. Heig flinched, as his reflexes kicked in, but a soothing warmth emitted from Ander's palm and the stinging vanished. Heig looked up at the Commander with a curious expression. Ander smiled. "I promise. No harm will come to either of you." Heig was astonished at Ander's compassion and slowly nodded. Malavai gently took Heig into his arms, hugging him. "You have nothing to fear."


	33. Hidden Sights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it filler? No... Not really...
> 
> Is it a segway into bigger things that are much MUCH longer? Maybe...
> 
> Is this one the shortest one yet? Yes. It is. :(

Raina and Heig both got up fairly early. They had come to an agreement with Ander that Raina would be able to train with the rest of the Force Enclave as long as Heig was present. Raina seemed exceptionally excited about the whole thing and was practically dragging him along. Grophl was also excited to come along, as his parents were going to take him back. They entered the Force Enclave and there were already a few notable people there. Ander came in right after them, with Malavai in tow, and he immediately greeted the two.

 

"Good morning you guys! Oh, I'm so glad you came! I already sent out a group message explaining everything and so there shouldn't be any surprises." Ander said, taking Raina by the shoulder to begin introducing her to everyone. Heig sighed and glanced over at his father, who had already reunited with Grophl. He hummed quietly, getting Malavai’s attention. "Raina keeps calling Grophl my little brother. Could you please clarify that he is an animal and not a human?" Heig asked, to which Grophl looked him dead in the eye and let out a small whine. Malavai chuckled at Heig’s question and offered Grophl some loving scratches. "Nonsense, you are my son and Grophl is my furry son. Now, be quiet." Heig frowned and sat down against the wall, next to the door. Malavai smiled at his son's childish behavior but took a seat next to him.

 

Ander and Raina walked up to the gathered Jedi and Sith, next to the stairs. Timmns turned to them first but soon the others did as well. "Ah, Commander, good to see you and your friend." Timmns bowed and Raina mirrored him. "Nice to make your acquaintance, sir. My name is Raina Temple." Raina's formal greeting seemed to put everyone in good spirits as Darth Marr spoke up. "Finally, some respectful people... Unlike the Commander of the fucking Eternal Alliance..." Ander's face turned red and he backed up slightly. "S-Sorry, I wasn't raised that way-" Darth Marr suddenly erupted in laughter as Ander went silent. "It's alright. I know what you've been through. I just wanted to see you panic." Darth Marr said that last bit with a hint of sarcasm but Ander honestly wasn't sure. Timmns rolled his eyes at the old Sith and reassured Raina, who wore a worried expression. "Pay him no mind. He doesn't actually mean any of it."

"Yeah, he's just an old mutt trying to preserve his bravado." Darth Ravage piped up. Darth Marr turned to the younger Sith and stuck out his chest and shook his head. Obviously, the conversation would have turned violent very quickly, should he have responded. Everyone was thankful for Marr's restraint and Raina was finally able to begin her first few lessons.

 

Naturally, Timmns had tried to teach her the basics until Marr and Ravage berated him for teaching her as though she was a padawan. Ander tried to break up the fighting until Arcann and Thexan walked in. Ander immediately grabbed Arcann, before he managed to escape, and brought him over to Raina. Raina was clueless about the whole issue until Ander clarified. "Arcann, please, could you and Thexan offer some insight on how to use the Force. These idiots behind me can't decide on a side to introduce first." As soon as Ander said that, Tenebrae woke up and started listening in. Arcann looked at Ander with the most confused look ever. "Wait? A side? What do you mean?" Everyone went silent when he said that. Arcann looked around the room for a moment before refocusing on Ander. "You know, like Light, Dark and Grey Side."

"Grey Side is still being debated, Commander." Ander looked back at Timmns with a look that told him to be quiet. Arcann looked back to Thexan for help, who of course came to his brother's aid. "I apologize for the intrusion, Commander, but my brother and I were raised to believe that the Force didn't have sides. It was just a well of power that only the strongest could control and harness." Arcann nodded, confirming Thexan's answer to be true. "But..." Everyone turned to Jaesa, who had mostly remained quiet the entire time. "I can literally see which alignment people choose. I can see it in normal people too. Are you saying that my entire life I've just imagined it?" Ander shook his head. "No way. That sight of yours is real. Wait a second," Ander paused, thinking to himself. "Jaesa, why don't you see which 'side' Arcann and Thexan are on." Arcann frowned at Ander's suggestion and shook his head. "There are no sides..."

"With an attitude like that, you'd sit right in the middle- Well, wait, have you seen a Grey Side Jedi or Sith, Jaesa?" Jaesa pondered for a bit before nodding. "I have, once. They were white and black. White being the representation of the Light Side and black being the representation of the Dark Side."

"So... Like grey?" Jaesa shook her head. "No, more like both colors weaving in and out with each other. Both were a stream of water, even though the Dark Side appears to me like a shadow normally." Ander pondered on what Jaesa described, before nodding his head. "Alright, that makes sense. So, you think you would be willing to check them with your sight?" Ander asked with wide, bright eyes.

 

Jaesa sighed and finally gave in to Ander's request. Ander jumped with excitement and stood back away from the twin princes, instructing everyone else to do the same. Everyone cleared a path between Arcann, Thexan, and Jaesa, as she closed her eyes and clasped her hands in front of her. She took a deep breath and sought out her hidden sight. It had been a while since she had last used it, so everything was out of focus at first, but soon a shining stream caught her attention.

 

On the outside, everyone saw her look down with her eyes closed. Arcann felt a very peculiar feeling reverb through him that sent a shiver up his spine.

 

Jaesa looked down at the shimmering stream, noting it to be a different color and opacity. It was almost completely opaque, but she could easily see the outline of her own stream next to it. She followed the line all the way back to its owner and like a switch was flipped, her connection suddenly ceased. Jaesa immediately opened her eyes and fell to her knees. In a second, Ander was to her side. "Jaesa? What's wrong? Are you okay?" He asked as he helped her to her feet. Jaesa's face flushed and she slowly nodded. "Yes..." Ander was a little doubtful of her response but didn't push it any further. "What did you see?" Jaesa did her best to calm her rapid heart rate and answer his question. "Well..." She glanced up at Arcann only to avoid his eye contact entirely. Arcann was more than a little hurt by the gesture. Ander decided to give her an easier question. "Okay, well what color were they?" Everyone was curious about that answer and waited patiently.

 

"Gold. They were golden." Jaesa started, taking a deep ragged breath before continuing. "I'm sorry, Master, but I'm suddenly very tired. I'm going to return to my room for some rest."

"Of course, Jaesa, go ahead." Jaesa thanked him and quickly left the Enclave. She didn't even look at Arcann as she passed him, which hurt even more for him. Ander watched her leave and shook his head. He then turned to Raina, who looked to be troubled. "I'm so sorry about all this Raina. You and I can still do some training if you like?"

"Commander!" Just then, Lana ran into the Enclave, shouting up a storm. Ander groaned and turned to her. "Yes, Lana?-"

"We picked up a message from Theron. It's a set of coordinates." Ander looked to Heig, who immediately jumped up and went over to Lana. Ander immediately ran over to them but Heig beat him to the punch. "Theron didn't betray us." Heig quickly said and everyone in the room was suddenly very confused. "That's right." Ander started. "Heig and I both suspected that his intentions to betray us seemed a little flimsy at best. We later confirmed that he was merely acting as a defector while also feeding us as much information as possible without giving away his position." Lana couldn't believe her ears and shook her head. "But-"

"Lana. You used to work in Imperial Intelligence. You used to work with double agents all the time. Does this really sound so different?" Lana looked at Ander and shook her head. She was so blinded by her anger that she failed to see the obvious in front of her. "Then..." Lana started, looking to the rest of the room. "This is now a rescue mission. One of our own is in the middle of enemy territory. Let's bring him home." Ander nodded and turned back to everyone else. "Let's go save a friend."


	34. A Super Weapon and An Old Threat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Barely 10 pages but I said it would be longer!!! HAHA!
> 
> YES soon... Soon the feels train will come!! >:)

Everyone gathered in the Alliance Command Center. Lana typed in the coords she had received from Theron's transmission. A planet came up on the holoterminal that they were all too familiar with. Nathema. It was one of the original home planets of the Sith race and was the same place Vaylin was imprisoned on. Vaylin was still so scarred by the place, even looking at it made her angry. She turned away from the sight and hid her face into Arcann's shoulder. Ander grimaced at the sight of the planet and Tenebrae whispered into his mind. _We shouldn't bring too many people… if it's still unstable I won't be able to protect everyone._ Ander nodded. "Everyone," He started, to which everyone gave their attention. "Change of plans. Tenebrae suggests that just Lana and myself leave for Nathema. It could still be unstable, making it hard for him to protect multiple people. However, I want you all to remain vigilant. If anyone leaves that planet before we give the all clear, captured them if you can. Only shoot to kill if you absolutely have to." Ander looked around the room, one last time, only to meet Malavai’s eyes. He could feel the ache rise in his chest and Tenebrae whispered to him. _Don’t worry. You will come back to him._ Ander nodded and turned to leave with Lana. Malavai hated to watch him leave but knew he would be back. Heig looked to his father and grabbed his arm. “I’m not leaving you here to become depressed again.” Malavai gave him a sad smile and shook his head. “My lord gave me explicit instructions to not get involved-”

“I don’t care, Dad. I’m not leaving you behind. You will be coming with us.” Heig commanded. Malavai normally would have put his foot down about the issue, but he honestly thought that Heig sounded so cute. Still, he couldn’t disobey his lord. “I know the Commander told you not to get involved because he wanted to protect you. That much was obvious, but we will accompany you on board in case of trouble.” Both Heig and Malavai turned to the voice. Arcann stood behind them with Vaylin and Thexan by his side. Vaylin nodded and offered her own thoughts. “Mr. Quinn.” She started. “You made me feel like I do have a place here like I don’t have to be afraid. I know you want to be there for him, so I’ll be there to protect you.” Malavai was honestly surprised by her words and felt so touched by their compassion. “Don’t think that you guys will get all the fun without us!” Alessin yelled as she and Aria ran up to them. Aria nodded and smiled. “Our brother would be pissed if we let you out of our sight.” Malavai truly had no words at that point and just sighed with a smile on his face. He nodded and Heig smile grew wider. “Alright, Dad. Let’s go support him.” Heig said as he led his father onto one of the Eternal Fleet’s ships.

 

Ander was in Lana’s ship and wasn’t the least bit surprised when the Eternal Fleet jumped out of light speed next to them. He walked over to the intercom system and sent out a fleet wide check. He wanted to see who was captaining which ship, next to the GEMINI droids of course. However, when a far too familiar “My lord,” came through, Ander choked. He immediately set up communications with the ship and realized he was not going insane. “Malavai, what are you doing?” Ander asked in a complete panic. The image shifted to his sister Alessin. “He’s here to support you and we are here to support him.”

“We? Who’s we?” Ander asked and the image shifted to Aria, then Arcann, Vaylin, Thexan, Heig and finally One and Eleven. Ander groaned and he started to feel sick. Ander slumped against the terminal, resting his head on the wall behind it. Malavai’s picture came back on the screen and he worryingly looked at Ander. “My lord, are you alright?” Ander shook his head. “No! My favorite people have all huddled themselves on one ship and if something goes wrong they will all die together!” Ander felt like crying but held himself together. “My lord, the GEMINI won’t let that happen, I won’t let that happen. Please don’t push me away…” It was rare for Malavai to let his emotions show and Ander knew that. He took in a deep breath and stood up straight. “Okay…” Malavai relaxed, the voice of his love calmed him significantly. “But if anything happens, get out of there.” Malavai nodded and Ander relaxed, but he had one more command to give. “GEMINI…” The droids simultaneously, across the entire fleet, gave their attention to him. “I am relinquishing my control over you. I am giving your free will back. If you wish to stay, you may but you will not be forced to.” Ander could see the messages from the fleet appear in the chat box. Most of them were asking why he picked such a crucial moment for such a command but eventually, they stopped coming. The GEMINI, now individually, gave Ander their answer. “We will stand by you, Commander. We will not run. We will not abandon you.” Ander stepped back from the console and ended transmission. He was honestly hoping that at least one of them would leave, especially the one with Malavai on it, but he was glad to see that even the droids liked him.

  
  


Lana got up from the controls, putting them on autopilot, and walked over to Ander. She handed him his weapons and a health pack. “Get ready. We will be there soon.” Ander holstered his sabers and put away the health pack. He walked over to the door and stood next to Lana. “What will you tell Theron?” He asked, hoping to break the awkward silence before it began. Lana sighed. “When it’s safe to, punch him in the gut for keeping secrets.” Ander laughed softly and readied himself as he felt the ship land.

  


Ander sliced through the conspirators as though they were made of butter. Lana urged him not to stop and not to show mercy. He could do that, but a familiar voice caused them both to stop in their tracks. “Don’t attack,” Theron called, as he stepped out of his cloak. Lana’s frown must have intensified severely as she approached him because Theron flinched and went into a defensive stance. “Shut up. We know you didn’t betray us but we have to get to them before they activate the superweapon.” Theron was shocked but he quickly gathered his bearings. “Oh, right. Okay, well, I know a shortcut through their defenses. Let’s go.” Ander nodded and they followed Theron to the superweapon.

  
  


Theron smashed the door controls and the gate shut just before reinforcements could join them. Ander turned back to Vinn Atrius, the proud leader of the group. Ander had heard his entire speech about why Ander and the Eternal Alliance was such a horrible thing. He had heard GEMINI 16’s reasoning for wanting the Eternal Fleet’s demise. Thankfully, they had yet to do anything but Ander knew that wasn’t going to be for long. He whispered to Tenebrae. _I know I’ve declined your power in the past, but I don’t think there will be a peaceful way out of this. I need your help._ Tenebrae nodded and went back into Ander’s mind. Ander closed his eyes and sheathed his weapon. “What do you think you’re doing?” Atrius asked and Ander reopened his eyes. They were no longer blue and held the same yellow color that Valkorion’s had. Ander raised one hand and Atrius finally realized how much danger he was in, how much danger his plan was in. He moved in front of the giant machine and pulled out his saber staff. Ander- or Tenebrae- pulled the ultimate power of the Force into his hand. Purple and blue lightning cracked outwards and Ander could feel the heat spread throughout his arm. _Tenebrae, this really hurts._ Tenebrae nodded. _I know. You just need to hold on a little more._ In a split second, a wave of lightning shot out from Ander's hand and soon condensed into a solid beam of energy. Atrius and GEMINI 16 both tried to body block the attack but they were reduced to dust in seconds. Normally, Tenebrae would have ended his attack there but Ander wanted the superweapon gone. The superweapon, Zildrog, was built with highly resistant metals but Tenebrae was so much stronger than any metal. With one last push, Tenebrae released as much energy as he could, without killing Ander. The beam stopped suddenly as Tenebrae released control on Ander's body, who fell to the floor clutching his sides. His body ached all over and he looked up at Zildrog. The superweapon was still hot, pieces of it curled in on itself and most of it had been blown apart. Ander was happy and relieved until his guts reminded him he was still in critical condition. He pulled himself onto his elbows and blood spewed from his mouth. Lana was already by his side at that point and was healing him as much as she could. Theron didn't have any health packs on him and doubted it would do much good. He went over to the nearest terminal and logged into its system. Lana quickly looked at him and then Ander, who was no longer throwing up blood and in somewhat stable condition. Ander looked up at Theron and Force whispered Lana to ask him something. "The Commander wants to know if they have a list of members on there." Theron nodded and began to read them aloud as they waited for an evac.

 

Most of the names Ander didn't recognize but Theron said one that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Ander scrambled for the terminal, surprising both Theron and Lana. "Hey! What's the big deal?" Theron exclaimed as he was pushed aside. Ander ignored him and scrolled back up the list. Right there, in plain text, read the name _Darth Baras_. Ander wanted to throw up again but didn't get a chance as the evac shuttle came down and landed next to Lana. Theron pulled Ander from the terminal and forced him to board the shuttle with Lana.

 

Lana had to practically hold him down as Ander grew more into a frantic panic. She wasn't quite sure what he was going on about but he was consistent about one thing: He _needed_ to get to Malavai. She told the shuttle pilot to go back to ship number seventy-two, as she did her best to calm him.

  


Ander ran into the ship's command center. Everyone, especially Malavai, was shocked to see the front of his armor covered in blood. "My lord?!" Malavai ran up to Ander and checked him over. "What happened to you?" As he looked up, Malavai noticed the dried blood that painted Ander's chin and mouth. Ander shook his head. "That doesn't matter right now. Has anyone seen a ship leave the planet?" Ander knew he hadn't faced Baras, so he must have been trying to avoid a fight with Ander head on. Malavai shook his head. "No, my lord. A blip appeared on the scanners for a moment but we suspected it to be an error." Ander's eyes widened and he ran up to the holoterminal. Malavai was worried to see Ander in such a state and gently tried to pull him away from the ship controls. "My lord, it was probably a probe-"

"It wasn't! It-" Ander squeezed his eyes shut as he felt hot tears threatening to break through. "It was Baras. He was on their list. He's going to come for you and Heig…" Ander cried out as he fell to his knees. Malavai was surprised to hear the name but he wasn't scared, not anymore. "My lord," Malavai took Ander's face into his hands and smiled down at him. "He would be a fool to try. With you and our friends by my side, I know I will be fine." Ander was still crying as Malavai knelt down beside him and wrap him in a warm hug. Ander sighed slowly and returned his hug. "Alright, but we need to remain vigilant, in case he shows up," Ander said as he slowly rose to his feet. Malavai stood with him but continued to hold onto him. "Yes, _we_ will, but _you_ will go to the medbay to rest. Baras can wait." Ander seemed reluctant, so Malavai gave him some reassurance. "I will accompany you and stay with you until you wake." Ander finally gave in to his request and followed Malavai to the medbay. Worried for their brother, Aria and Alessin joined them in a hope that it would calm Ander.

 

\-------------------------------

 

Heig watched them leave and looked to One for some clarification. "Why is this guy after me?" One shook his head. "He doesn't care about you, only your father. He threatened your father into betraying the Wrath by claiming that he would kill you if he didn't."

"Wait, what?" Heig asked, shocked to learn what his father had been through. Vaylin also had a question for One and approached quietly. "Is this Baras really powerful?" She was truly curious and Ander gave her the impression that he was. One sighed and shook his head. "Far from it. His only good asset is his silver tongue. He is able to worm his way into power and collect allies as though they were paper trophies." Vaylin snorted at his response. "Then why is the Commander so worried?"

 

"He was worried I'd do something foolish."

 

Everyone looked to the door to see Malavai walk through. Heig walked up to his father. "Dad, aren't you supposed to be with the Commander?" Malavai shook his head. "But  _you_ will be. Convince him that you are me and this will go smoother."

"What? But Dad-" Malavai made a sharp turn to stop and face Heig. "Surely you have something that can make you look and sound like me, or was that story Raina told me not true?" He asked. Heig stammered as he tried to get the words out. "Well, yes- but, um. Dad! What are you doing?"

"Lose the stutter and the attitude and you will be perfect." Malavai dismissed Heig with a gesture. Heig sighed and pulled out his stealth-disguise.

 

One noticed Malavai's stance as he walked and knew exactly what he was planning. "You should leave his execution to us." One said, hoping to stop Malavai in his tracks. He did stop but only to look up at One and put his hand on his blaster. "I will do no such thing. Baras has taken far too much from my lord and I. It is about time I set things right." One raised a brow behind his visor. "He could easily kill you." Malavai furrowed his brow. "Not if you accompany me, though even if you didn't," Malavai paused to unholster his gun. "I hardly give a shit. I will kill him." Malavai grabbed his holopad from the ship console and turned on his heel to leave the room. One nodded and followed after him.

 

Heig stood silently with a terrified look on his face. He looked to the others and clarified. "Just for the record, you guys, my dad never curses. So he's really pissed right now." Heig finally managed to get the disguise to work and checked his voice. It sounded so weird to sound  _exactly_ like his father. Still, Heig did what his dad told him and left to take his place by the Commander's side.

  


Malavai sent out a fleetwide message, asking if anyone had caught a lone ship from the planet. To his surprise, everyone had replied back except for the Gravestone. Koth was captaining that one, which made Malavai suspicious that he had indeed seen something but chose not to tell him. He showed the results to One, who agreed that Koth was hiding something. Malavai sent out another message, this time excluding Koth, asking if anyone had seen the Gravestone. When everyone heard the GEMINI 16’s plan - destroying the Eternal Fleet with the Gravestone’s Omnicannon - through Lana’s earpiece, Koth decided to take the Gravestone as far away as possible to prevent that.

 

Luckily for Malavai, the Gravestone had a tracker set on its exterior body so it could be easily found and not be easily debugged. Though, the one who had placed the tracker was none other than Vaylin when she was still Empress. She had stolen the Gravestone by capturing Koth and his crew. Scorpio had suggested that she implant a tracker on the ship and Vaylin got her sky troopers to install it. It was probably a good idea to ask her if she still had the receiver.

 

So, Malavai backtracked to the bridge and found that Vaylin and her brothers were still there. Malavai was slow and quiet in his approach. In his mind, it was reasonable for them to be less than friendly to him after his outburst but Vaylin, arguably the strongest of the trio, sensed him coming and turned to him with a smile. “Mr. Quinn,” Arcann and Thexan turned to greet him as well. “I’m so glad you didn't leave yet! I was worried that you didn't want us to know you were leaving.” Malavai laughed softly, as he recognized her expression from somewhere. “I see my lord has rubbed off on you. One told me that he revealed my secret and why Baras was such a problem for me in the past.” All three of them nodded but Arcann spoke first. “That just makes us closer as individuals. It proves that we all make mistakes and we should all be forgiven for them.” Malavai nodded and Thexan added his input. “We know why you’re here, really. One gave us a heads up but before you go to face him, the Commander told me something interesting.” Malavai listened intently, he was almost certain he had heard all of Ander’s words of wisdom but perhaps he missed this one. “Hope is so much _stronger_ than fear…” Malavai actually did recognize those words but from where? Thexan continued. “I asked him why he forgave my siblings so quickly and so easily. I asked if he was ever scared of them and he said he wasn’t. It was perplexing but he said he only saw the good in them. I told him that they wanted him to fear them and it was like a light went off in his head, the expression he had. He said it’s because _hope is so much stronger than fear_.”

“It’s from a song.” Malavai blurted out. Everyone was equally confused until Malavai continued. “Hope is so much stronger than fear,

so if you jump kid don't be scared to fall. They’re lyrics from a song. He was using that song as a message to himself and now to you.” Malavai smiled and looked down at his holstered gun. “I’m not afraid this time, my lord. You already gave me the tools I need to face my fears…” He said, ever so quietly and yet everyone heard. Vaylin smiled, inspired by Malavai’s courage, she pulled out the tracker’s receiver and handed it to him. “We will be waiting for your return, Mr. Quinn.” Malavai nodded and took the device from her hands. He checked it and left with One again.

  


One strapped himself into the passenger’s seat of his ship. He had parked it in the much larger GEMINI ship for a very similar reason. Though he claimed not to have future sight, he had a suspicious vision the night before and thought it to be a good plan to prepare for it. Normally, he would take the driver’s seat but Malavai had proven to be a skilled pilot and took better care of his ship than he did himself. One relaxed into his seat and began his meditation. He would help pinpoint Baras’s location so there would be no surprises.

 

Malavai started up the hyperdrive and put in the tracker’s coordinates. He could feel his hands shaking and hear his heart rate increase. He was either very anxious or very excited. Though he wanted nothing more than to be rid of Baras’s shadow looming over him. One sensed his uneasiness. “I will not let him harm you and he will be unable to stop you.” One’s words did reassure Malavai quite a bit. _To think I would have ever befriended a Sith Pureblood and gone to kill my former master with said Pureblood._ Malavai thought. “I, too, never thought I would willingly wish to help anyone exact their revenge…” Malavai almost lost all of his self-control as he withheld his laughter. He turned back to see One almost smiling, yet it quickly faded.

 

The ship dropped out of hyperspeed and they were in full view of the Gravestone. One rose from his meditation. “He’s on the bridge. He’s expecting us.” Malavai should have guessed as much and pulled One’s ship into the docking bay closest to the bridge. It was only one elevator ride and two doors to the bridge from there. Malavai had no idea if Baras had allies from the conspirators or if he had wormed his way into Koth’s heart, either way, Koth was likely to be held accountable for sheltering a criminal.

 

Malavai and One got out of the ship and readied their weapons. One took the lead as Malavai followed. On the way to the bridge, the entire ship is silent. Nothing but the occasional groaning of metal shifting and pulling back could be heard. The Gravestone’s unorthodox construction meant that a lot of its plating was not properly bolted down, that and sitting in a swamp for hundreds of years would probably make it worse. Still, to be able to hear that meant that the engine wasn’t running.

 

Malavai walked carefully, holding his gun out in front of him, his finger not on the trigger, and sweeping the nearby corridors. One would stop and wait for him every time he did so, just in case. They got to the bridge and One had to forcibly open the door with the Force. As Malavai suspected, Koth stood right next to the masked Baras. Malavai was thankful for this, as having his PTSD triggered would ruin his plan for revenge.

 

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

 

Ander slowly opened his eyes with another pounding headache coupled with a sore abdomen. It took him a moment to remember what happened, but when he did, he immediately looked for Malavai. He turned his head to see a hand holding his own. He looked up and was greeted by those deep blue eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. “Malavai…” He whispered lovingly and nuzzled his nose into his pillow. “My lord…” Ander heard that sweet voice but… something was off. He looked up at the face again, it was fine. He didn’t look tired or anything. So why did he talk so slowly? Ander looked down at his belt and noticed the gun was not his usual gun. Ander grimaced and got up out of the bed, pulling the IV’s from his arms. “My lord? You need to rest.” Ander scowled at the person before him and growled. “You aren’t Malavai. Where is he?” Heig’s cloak lowered as soon as he accidentally knocked the device with his elbow. “Shit-” Ander got up in Heig’s face as he grabbed his sabers, with the Force, from across the room. “Where is he?” Heig backed away from him. Although he was in no danger, Ander did make himself appear very threatening. Heig took a deep breath and looked Ander square in the eyes. "I can't do that."

"Why not?! Just tell me!" Ander slammed a fist down onto the bedside table. The loud thud echoed across the room but Heig didn't budge. He just simply shook his head. Ander made a sound that was reminiscent of a low growl. "Fine." He said as he made his way to the door. "If you won't tell me, surely someone else will." Ander left the room but Heig did not follow. He knew he would only make things worse and text out a text message to Thexan, giving him a heads up.

 

Ander stormed towards the bridge, only to be met with Thexan barring his path. "Move, now." The command sounded primal, animalistic like Ander was on the verge of losing himself. Tenebrae noticed this and, although still very weak, revealed himself. He signaled Thexan to let him pass. Thexan was hesitant but opened the door for Ander. He marched in and looked around the room. No sign of Malavai… He then turned back to Thexan. "Where is he?" Thexan breathed in slowly and calmly. "Mr. Quinn went out with One."

"Where?!" Ander was growing increasingly impatient but Thexan knew he had to draw this out. If Ander was too hasty, he could actually put Malavai in more danger. "They went to find the Gravestone." He shouldn't tell Ander the whole truth either. Thexan knew just how bad that could turn out as well.

 

Ander took a deep breath and it seemed like he was starting to calm down but then he asked. "Where is the Gravestone?" The GEMINI behind him lit up, as she had been dormant while updating her systems. "The Gravestone is currently orbiting Iokath, Commander." Ander turned to her. "Take me there." He calmly ordered and in a second, heard the engines roaring as the hyperdrive was brought online.

 

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

 

Malavai tightened the grip on his blaster as Baras raised his hand, swinging it in the same motion as though he was backhanding him. Yet, where he expected to feel it, instead he heard an audible snap and looked up at One, whose own hand was raised. It was strange to believe such a thing could be deflected like that but there he stood, unharmed.

 

Baras scoffed. "I suppose it was worth a try…" He paused to walk behind Koth, who slowly began to realize what kind of situation he was in. Although the right thing to do would be to admit his folly and help Malavai, Koth made no such attempt. Though the look on Koth’s face did seem as though he was regretting his choices. Baras noticed that, as well, and turned his attention to the young pilot. “Surely you aren’t considering siding with him? The one who pushed you further from your place as the Alliance’s _heroes_ ?” Baras pointed to Malavai and One. “Him? Really? He wants you dead and from what you’ve told me, so does the rest of the Alliance all because of _him_.”

“That’s not true, Koth. I didn’t have any transgressions towards you.”

“ _Didn’t!_ See? He doesn’t trust you one bit now and wouldn’t give a flying fuck if you stood against him now.” Koth looked away from Baras and pulled out his gun. “You’re right.” He paused to stare Malavai down. “I’ll stand with you.”

“Koth! No! Shit-” Koth fired six blaster shots towards Malavai but each and every one of them was deflected by One’s lightsaber. Baras growled and drew his own weapon. “Dirty Pureblood! Stay out of this!” One didn’t make an attempt to acknowledge Baras’s taunt, which made the fat Sith cocky. “Heh, I know what will cripple you…” Baras reached up to his mask with one hand but before he could touch it, One reached out with the Force and crushed the edges of his face. Baras screamed in agony as the edge of his metal mask curved inwards and sliced through his skin. One kept pushing the metal forward until he felt some resistance and finally, curved it one last time. Baras’s mask had become inseparable from his flesh, it curled just before the bone into his skin. If he still wanted to remove it, it would remove much of his face as well.

 

Koth looked up in horror as blood dripped from Baras’s face and down his chin. He then looked back to One. “What the actual fuck man?!” Koth raised his gun again but it was shot out of his hands by Malavai. “Move and you will die! Do you understand?!” Malavai shouted as he approached Koth, who actually surrendered. He put his hands in the air and got down on his knees. Malavai kicked his gun back towards One, before pointing his gun at Baras. “It’s over.” Baras laughed weakly as he looked up at Malavai. “Are you going to offer me mercy like your master?” Malavai grit his teeth at the old Sith’s mocking tone. “No. Unlike my lord, I don’t believe in second chances.” Baras was probably going to say something demeaning as he broke out into laughter but Malavai didn’t let that last long as he shot around seventeen rounds into Baras’s head. He only stopped when the last shot missed and ricocheted off of Baras’s helmet and into the wall. Malavai was heaving as his adrenaline wore off and he came back into normality.

 

A moment of silence went by until Malavai heard his holopad go off. He looked at it to see a text message from Heig that read: _“I tried to stop him.”_ Malavai sighed and looked down at Koth, who was fidgeting. “Um, can I-” Malavai pointed the barrel of his gun at Koth’s head. “No.” Malavai waited like that until he heard the approach of multiple footsteps and slowly walked to the door, putting away his blaster and holding his hands behind his back.

 

Ander rounded the corner to see One with his back to him and Malavai’s face smiling at him. Ander rushed to him with open arms, embracing him in a tight hug. Malavai returned his love in kind, completely relieved to be in his lord’s arms once again. Ander was completely absorbed in his love’s presence, that he hardly noticed the scene just beyond him. He glanced up to see Koth on his knees with his hands in the air and a bloody meat sack next to him. Ander immediately looked down at Malavai for clarification but One offered his input instead. “Perhaps a look at the security footage would be better…” Malavai nodded and pulled Ander away from the bridge.

 

As soon as they were out of sight, Lana and Theron both walked onto the bridge. Theron grimaced at the sight but Lana immediately turned to One for answers. _He sided with the Wrath’s old master because he felt jealous._ One wasted no time in throwing Koth under the bus and Lana smacked her face with her hand. She turned to Koth, refusing to look at him as she raised her hand and snapped his neck with the Force. She took a moment to reflect, shaking her head. Theron walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Sorry about all this, Lana.” Lana immediately turned to Theron and sucker punched him in the gut. “That’s for tricking me.” Theron drew a ragged breath and nodded. “That’s… fair.”

 

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

 

Ander watched the entire scene and rewound the footage to watch Malavai kill Baras again. Malavai thought it was a bit much for him but his lord looked to be engrossed by it. Ander then turned back to him with bright, wide eyes. “My lord, I must apologize for lying to you but-”

“Who cares?!” Ander exclaimed so loudly that it caught both of them by surprise. Ander laughed a bit before continuing. “This is so awesome! Oh man, I could never do that! And what you said right before you killed him was so fucking cool!” Malavai smiled awkwardly as Ander rained down more compliments onto him. “You aren’t upset that I said something so… callous?” Ander scoffed but in a nice way. “Not in the slightest. That’s why I could never kill Koth because I was always afraid that I’d regret it and- Oooh, look.” Ander pointed to the screen that had resumed playing. “Lana did it for me.” Ander smiled with wicked glee and hugged Malavai once more.

 

Malavai laughed and returned Ander’s hug. He gently ran his fingers through his lord’s hair, as Ander nuzzled himself into Malavai’s chest. “That’s why I think we go well together.” Ander started, glancing back up at the screen. “You kill the ones who deserve it and I save the ones who don’t. I know, it sounds stupid but…”

“No, my lord, I understand. I thought I didn’t deserve redemption, pity, love… but you proved me wrong.” Malavai paused to kiss the top of Ander’s head. “Now, I know better.”


	35. A Night of Song and Sorrow

Ander and Malavai returned, with the Gravestone, to Odessan. Immediately, Ander had to tell his sisters and his friends about how amazing Malavai was, while the officer simply chose to have a peaceful moment on the sidelines. Senya quietly approached him and sat next to him, all the while watching her kids listen intently to the Commander’s story of grandeur. “Major,” she politely greeted and Malavai nodded ever so slightly. “Tirall.”

“He sure is making a great impression on them. I was surprised to learn that he also had twin siblings, but I can see it so clearly now. The way they interact shows how close they are.” Malavai nodded even though a bit of sadness groaned in his heart for his lord. “Yes, they have adjusted to their new lives well…” Malavai didn’t want to spread preposterous rumors but he also didn’t want Senya to accidentally cause them any distress. “Their father perished when my lord was younger. His sister, Aria, told me that he told them they had to go one day and they never went back.” Senya looked at Malavai with a stunned expression. “Oh, I had no idea. I see…” She paused and Malavai remembered that she had seen her own fair share of heartbreak and misfortune but for some reason, he still felt his lord’s story to be more tragic. “I know that you and your family know that feeling all too well, but from what my lord has told me, his father was good to them. Which, in my eyes, makes it all the more devastating. Out of the blue, suddenly, their perfect life was ripped out of their hands.” Senya nodded, realizing that Ander’s depression was much different than her own. Where she had lost a horrible, abusive husband - who was once much kinder - he had lost a parent who truly loved him. She felt a strange overwhelming feeling towards the Commander and his sisters that she couldn't quite comprehend. “Well,” Senya started, standing up. “We are glad to see you back safely, Major. If you’ll excuse me.” Malavai nodded. “Yes, of course.” He said before returning his attention to his lord once more.

  
  


Ander and Malavai returned to their room, that evening, only to be greeted by an overly excited grophet and an HK Bodyguard Droid who was all too done with the pup’s constant need to use the restroom. HK looked at Ander, bowed and quickly returned to his station outside the door. Ander turned back to the droid and called out to him. “Oh, HK, Lana killed Koth.” To which he heard the droid promptly replied, “Statement: Finally.” Ander and Malavai couldn’t help but find the response to be quite hilarious. Grophl also snorted with a joy that could only be expressed by a short fat pup. Malavai picked up the pup and walked him over to the bed, while Ander put up his power armor. Ander closed the case and quickly joined Malavai. He was about to kiss the officer when their holopads suddenly received a notification. Malavai dodged his kiss and quickly got up to check his device, worried that it might be urgent. Ander whined in discontent. Grophl, who absolutely hated to see his dad sad, jumped into his lap and furiously began licking his face. Ander wasn't prepared for the grophet's onslaught of affection and fell backward onto the bed, laying on his back.

 

"My lord- Oh," Malavai looked back at the duo and stifled his laughter. He sat back on the bed and pulled Grophl off of Ander. "Good boy, yes I'm sure your father appreciated your kisses, right my lord?" Ander pulled himself up, wiping the drool off of his face as he did. "Yep, totally," Ander said as he scratched Grophl behind the ears. Malavai smiled as Grophl snorted his appreciation, before continuing his original thought. "My lord, Theron forwarded a message to the entire Alliance."

"Oh?" Ander asked, giving Malavai his full attention. "Yes, it's an invitation to a party on Zakuul. Apparently, the list of conspirators he released scared many of them to come out of hiding and apologize."

"Oh, yes,  _ I'm sorry for trying to kill the organization that liberated us from tyranny, _ " Ander said in a mocking tone; it was obvious he was still bitter about the whole thing. "Hm, well, yes. The Zakuul Relations Service Committee was not too happy about it either and they quickly set up a party, for us, in response." Ander looked at Malavai with a puzzled expression. "The what Committee?" Malavai took a moment to search something up on his holopad. "It was formed by a man named Indo Zal shortly after the Alliance overthrew Vaylin’s rule."

"Oh, Indo! Yeah, I know him. Things were a bit hectic back then."

"Yes, Vaylin’s said that she regrets it very much." Ander nodded.

 

"So, my lord," Quinn started, putting his holopad away, "it says the event will be in a week. That should give us enough time to get you some nice clothes and shoes…" Ander didn't seem too thrilled about the whole thing. "My lord? What's wrong?" Ander sighed and laid back down onto the bed. "I just don't think it would be a good idea for me to go," Malavai was slightly disappointed to hear that he felt that way but continued to listen. "You said that the invitation was sent out to  **everyone** . I mean, I can handle small group gatherings but the whole Alliance? It just sounds like way too much."

"I understand why you feel that way, my lord, but no one is asking you to talk to anyone there. If it would make you feel better, we could inform Indo Zal. Perhaps he could prepare a private room for you to retreat to when you need to. As always, I will accompany you every step of the way." Malavai said as he laid down next to Ander. "You promise?" Malavai smiled and softly kissed Ander. "Of course, my lord."

 

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

 

Ander and Malavai arrived at the event hall an hour after it began. They walked in, said hello to their friends, picked a table, ordered some food and drinks and enjoyed the atmosphere. Malavai held his hand the entire time and didn't let go until Ander said he was fine. Even after that, he was by his lord's side every step of the way.

 

Malavai sat next to Ander and slowly sipped his brandy. He wanted to remain as sober as possible, should Ander start to get anxious. Ander, on the other hand, was in the process of downing his third sparkling nectar. He really wanted to try something alcoholic again but the memory of him throwing up his guts on Vaiken Spacedock scared him too much. "My lord?" Malavai started, taking hold of Ander's fidgeting hand. "Have you tried drinking since then?" Ander was surprised that Malavai was on the same wavelength but didn't let it slow his response. "Hehe… I was just thinking about that but no, I haven't. I'm scared I might throw up again..." Ander trailed off and continued to finish his drink until he heard quiet laughter. He immediately looked back at Malavai, who had covered his mouth with his other hand and was trying his best to not laugh too loudly. Ander felt slightly betrayed but Malavai did his best to explain himself between chuckles. "Oh, my lord," Malavai breathed, finally having gotten the giggles out of his system. "You got sick that night because you drank the highest concentrated drink the bar had. Having never been exposed to alcohol prior to that, meant that you had no tolerance. Of course, even I would have been sick after drinking  _ that _ ." Ander was still very confused and embarrassed and only managed to emit a small whine in response. Malavai felt horrible, of course. "It's alright, my lord. I'll go order you a drink that I'm sure you will enjoy."

"O-Oh, okay." Ander let Malavai leave but was secretly wishing he hadn't.

 

Ander tapped his fingers on the table as he waited anxiously for Malavai's return. He looked towards the bar and saw that his officer was waiting in line. The queue wasn't long so Ander was hopeful that Malavai would return soon. Yet Ander made the fatal mistake of looking too long as a couple of girls made eye contact with him. He got himself further into shit when he smiled and waved at them. Ander was just trying to be polite but the two scandalously dressed girls took it in a different manner. They got up from their seats and walked over to him. "Hey, cutie, saw you lookin' our way. You wanna get to know each other?" One of them asked. Ander was completely lost and was slow to respond. "Oh, um, sorry. I wasn't- I mean, I was just being polite. I'm actually waiting for my friend." The two girls looked to be angered by his rejection and promptly stormed back to their seats, which somehow weren't taken.

 

Malavai had just finished ordering when he noticed the two girls retake their seats. One of the girls downed her shot and slammed it onto the bar. "Ugh, can you believe that guy?" She proclaimed loudly, obviously she didn't care who was listening. "I know right?" Her friend chimed in. "He's definitely a faggot. He didn't have an ounce of swagger in him."

"You're right. I could do so much better." The first girl laughed just as loudly. Behind them, Malavai saw Ander look back at them and wince, before looking away. If they were talking about him… The bartender slid Malavai's drink towards him and he thanked the man, before grabbing the glass. He put on his best charming act and made his way over to the women.

 

"Sorry to interrupt, ladies, but I couldn't help but overhear that someone had wronged you…" Malavai's voice was smooth and the girls reacted quite positively to him. "Yeah," One of them said, pointing straight to Ander. "That guy, with the red hair." Ander seemed to either ignore her or simply wasn't paying enough attention to hear them, which Malavai was grateful for. He leaned in close to them so that only they could hear him. “That would be my lord and the Commander of the Eternal Alliance. If you ever call him that foul word again, I will make sure that you can never walk freely in this city again. Do I make myself clear?” Their faces drained of all their color and they swiftly made their exit. Malavai didn’t even bother to watch them leave and quickly returned to Ander, who didn’t look up at him. Malavai sighed and put the drink down in front of him.

 

“They won’t bother you again.” Ander finally looked up at Malavai. “I’m sorry I let that happen. I shouldn’t have left you alone.” Ander looked down at the drink and pulled it closer towards him. “No, it’s fine. I’m pretty used to it.”

“ _ Used to it _ ?” Ander looked back at Malavai again and he definitely looked  _ pissed _ . Ander shook his head and sighed. “It’s fine. Uncle Harkun took care of the ones in the Sith Academy…” Malavai relaxed but he was honestly surprised people still used such vulgarity. Even his parents, who were very strict and very formal, never looked down on other sexualities. Yes, they were racist against aliens but humans always had problems accepting others that differed from themselves. Still, he hated to see Ander have to suffer the humiliation and pain that came with such words. Malavai clenched his fist yet relaxed the rest of his body. He then looked back at Ander, who was taking a small sip of his drink. Ander puckered his face and squeezed his eyes shut. Malavai didn’t think the drink was that sour but perhaps his lord was just sensitive. Ander pushed the drink away and covered his mouth. “My lord? Are you feeling sick?” Ander nodded and quickly stood up. Malavai grew worried for him and stood with him. “Do you wish for me to come with you?” Ander shook his head and quickly left for the bathroom. Malavai was still worried about him but sat down again and waited patiently for his lord’s return.

 

Ander rushed into one of the stalls and spit out the mixture in his mouth. He tried his hardest but every time he tried to swallow it, his gag reflexes would kick in. Perhaps he just wasn’t made to drink alcohol. Ander sighed and exited the stall, going over to the sink to wash his hands and mouth. He looked in the mirror, taking a moment to fix his hair, before leaving the restroom.

 

Ander slowly made his way back to the main hall. “Commander?” Ander stopped and turned to see Senya coming towards him. “It’s good to see you. I was actually hoping to have a word with you if that’s alright?”

“Yeah, sure.” Ander was always happy to talk to her. In the past, Senya had been the most patient and accommodating to him. There were times when his depression became overbearing and she would sit with him and help him through it. She was kind to him when he needed it most, especially when he didn’t have Malavai by his side.

 

“I actually wanted to thank you for accepting my children and I. They’ve been telling me how you keep saying you want to adopt them as your siblings…”

“Oh, hah, I was just joking I don’t mean to intrude on your family like that-”

“Which is why I think it’s only fitting if we adopt you and your sisters.” Ander looked at Senya with wide eyes, which soon became quite misty. “What?” He asked. Senya smiled and took Ander by the shoulders. “I know you’ve been through a lot, but Vaylin loves your sisters. They support her and have even been trying to teach her how to sing. Arcann, too, looks up to you. He tells me every day how much he wants to be like you.” Ander couldn’t be asked to stop the tears as they rolled down his face. He tried his best to breathe but Senya didn’t rush him, she knew how big of a decision this was to them. “This…” Ander started, wiping the tears from his eyes. “This is actually perfect because I- we’ve never met out mother…” Ander chuckled softly and Senya pulled him into a tight hug. “I know she would be proud of you. I am.” Ander returned her hug. They stayed that way for a moment more until Ander had calmed down. He thanked Senya and then returned to Malavai.

 

Malavai was tapping his fingers on the table, trying to distract himself as he waited for his lord to return. It had been over ten minutes and he was starting to worry more than he already was originally. He had even finished Ander’s alcoholic drink. It was far too sweet for his liking but the vodka did give him a nice buzz. However, it wasn’t long after, that Ander finally walked into the room. Malavai breathed a sigh of relief, but as he drew closer, he began to see that his lord had been crying. He immediately stood up from his seat but Ander shook his head, smiling at him. Malavai slowly sat once more, still not fully convinced, as Ander retook his seat next to him. “You won’t believe it,” Ander said, his voice filled to the brim with happiness and his smile completely genuine. “What, my lord?” Malavai was still wondering what took him so long and why he had been crying but as Ander took him by the hand, he felt a sincere comfort radiate through his touch. “Senya said she wants to adopt my sisters and me into her family.” Malavai was speechless and stared at Ander. “I mean probably not officially- or legally because we are too old but like you know. I can probably still officially say Arcann and Thexan are my little brothers… since they are two years younger. Yeah, that was a shock to learn but still…” Ander realized he was rambling and quickly went quiet. Partially because Malavai had yet to say anything but mostly because he thought he sounded stupid. Malavai shocked, utterly so. His blank expression soon turned into a smile and pulled Ander in for a sweet kiss. Even though Malavai tasted like brandy and vodka, Ander did not resist. It tasted fine on his lips and Ander found himself wanting more. They broke apart but Malavai continued to kiss Ander from his mouth all the way to his ear. Ander shivered from the feeling. “I’m happy for you, my lord. I want nothing more than your happiness.” Malavai whispered, causing Ander to shiver more. He pulled back and looked at the Sith Commander. “Um, do you want to go-”

“Perhaps it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to go take a walk outside.” Ander nodded and walked with Malavai out to a balcony.

 

It was cold that night, which was nice considering how packed the building was. Ander and Malavai leaned against the railing and looked up. Zakuul’s sky was so clear at night, it was a wonder they didn’t have air pollution with the giant reactors that powered their city. Still, Ander appreciated it, being able to see the stars above.

_ “The brisk, chilling air is calling, and out there we’re free, to run and jump and live so wildly…” _ Malavai looked to Ander and realized that he was signing. He loved it when Ander sang.  _ “Headfirst we’ll go, tumbling, to places unknown with nothing but the stars to light our way… And though the sun may set at night, tomorrow looks so bright.”  _ Malavai had to admit, he liked this song in particular. It suited Ander’s voice.  _ “Cause home~ Is when you’re by my side, no matter what we do~ Together we’ll see it through~ And I hope~ That we won’t drift apart. Even though things change~ Without you it’s not the same~ I know it’s true~~ Life’s better, when it’s me and you~” _

 

Malavai quietly clapped his hands, knowing if he was too loud, he would surprise him. Ander did appreciate his discretion and bowed gracefully before the officer. "That was very good, my lord. Have you been practicing that one for long?"

"Ever since we went to Hoth."

"Hoth? Hmm…" Malavai thought for a moment, looking up at the stars as he did. "I remembered arriving on Hoth with you and wishing I had stayed on board the Fury. But then, when they gave us both a thermal coat, you gave me your own. Do you remember, my lord?" Ander smiled. "Of course, I do. You told me you hated the cold and I didn't want you to freeze." Malavai nodded. "I still do, but I wouldn't mind visiting Hoth with you again."

"Yeah, and this time I hopefully won't have a hole in my armor." Ander laughed loudly. "What? You were actually freezing that whole time? My lord, why didn't you say anything?"

"Haha, that's why I wanted to stay in the outpost for the longest time, I was warming myself up." Ander took a deep breath and wiped a tear from his eye. Malavai was baffled that Ander would put himself in danger just to-  _ Oh, wait, _ Malavai remembered the many times Ander took a hit for him when he really didn't need to. Malavai smiled and looked at Ander, who smiled back at him. "Well, my lord," Malavai started, fixing his jacket. "Shall we head on home?" Ander practically jumped as he headed to the door and nodded.  _ Yes, he is definitely ready to go home. _ Malavai thought as he joined the Sith at the door.

 

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

 

Malavai was sitting on the bed, waiting for Ander to get out of the shower, when a message came in on his holopad. He saw it was from Senya, she had just spoken with Aria and Alessin. They thought that it was time to face their fears and go collect their father's body. Malavai was surprised that no one had done so before and Senya seemed to think the same. They told her that they remembered Ander locking up the house as they left, which made it so no one could get in without the passcode. They believe that Ander is the only person alive that knows it. Senya quickly sends a final message.  _ "Could you ask the Commander?" _

 

Malavai sighs. Even though he knows about his father's death, Ander has never outwardly told him. He has no idea that Malavai knows everything. Ander's sudden exit out of the bathroom causes Malavai to jump. He quickly puts away his holopad and watches Ander. "My lord." Ander smiles at him and takes a seat next to him. Although he's fully dressed, he might as well not be as he put on his clothes while still wet. "So," Ander begins to ask as he falls backward, laying on his back. "Who were you texting that you didn't want me to see?" Malavai tenses up and Ander sits back up, apologizing profusely. "It was just a joke, I'm sorry." Malavai nodded and took ahold of Ander's hand, glancing to look at him. "My lord…" His voice filled with sadness and anxiety, made Ander worry for his friend and gave him all his attention. "I think… it's time you go collect your father's corpse." Ander went ghostly silent. He looked down, away from Malavai but the officer held onto him tightly. "You never told me but Aria did and your sisters are done hurting, they want to do this but they need your help and support." Ander was silent for a long while.

 

"I- Can't." Malavai knew he was hurting just as much, probably more so than his sisters. "I can't go back… I just… can't." Ander was shaking, his whole body vibrating with fear and sadness. Malavai pulled him closer and wrapped his arms around him. "You won't be alone this time. Ms. Tirall and her children have offered to come. I, too, will come with you." Ander pushed into Malavai’s chest and nodded, still shaking. Malavai ran his fingers through his lord's hair, hoping to wash away his fear. Ander reached his arms around and clawed at Malavai's back as though his life depended on it. It didn't hurt, but Malavai’s heart ached for him and in a split second, Ander cried out. His tears flooded the officer's shirt but Malavai hardly minded. He held Ander gently but with great strength. Holding him up through the worst of it.

 


	36. Memories and Mistakes

Ander was completely silent on the way to Dromund Kaas. Aria and Alessin were respectful towards their brother and didn't talk much. Senya silently worried about them, as did Malavai, yet they knew they'd be alright, this was the easiest part of their journey.

 

As they walked through a once busy path, Malavai began to wonder if Ander's memory was as pristine as he said it was. Ander stopped at a gnarled old tree. He looked up and down the trunk of it before uprooting some vines to reveal a partially entrapped light stick. The light it once emitted had long faded but the red tint was still visible. "Right," Ander whispered and continued on, taking the right side of the fork. His old house was only about ten kilometers from Kaas City but was well hidden. Aria described it as a hidden paradise in the untamed wilds. Though, even still, Malavai wasn't looking forward to seeing the pain on Ander's face. They stopped, suddenly, before an unassuming cliff face. Ander pressed his hands flat against the solid rock, moving them around a particular area.

 

The entire way there, Aria and Alessin hadn't shown much emotion other than wide smiles and bright eyes but as Ander pressed a combination of buttons flush with the cliff, a door appeared. In that moment, it was evident that they remembered what they lost just beyond it. They walked up to stand next to him and Ander hugged them. Malavai watched as his legs shook and walked up past Ander and opened the door. The mechanism released but did not open. There was no power in the house to open it all the way. Arcann and Thexan stepped forward and signaled everyone to step back. Arcann pulled the Force into his prosthetic arm and projected it outwards to form a shield like wall in front of him. Thexan then pushed the door open and a large amount of dust flew out of the house and slowly bounced off Arcann’s shield. Malavai winced at the sight but he had prepared for such a thing. He opened the travel sack he brought and pulled out some breathers. He handed them out to everyone but Ander, who received his battle breather. Ander thanked him and was the first to enter the building.

 

Upon entry, Ander was immediately greeted by the shriveled remains of an armored human. Ander jumped around the corpse and noticed the vibro-daggers strewn about next to it. Ander shook his head and pushed the body aside as everyone else entered. Senya looked down at the body and furrowed her brow. "Is this?" She asked though she didn't want to assume anything. Ander shook his head. "This is probably the assassin who broke in here. He couldn't figure out the passcode and starved." Senya picked up the corpse with the Force and unceremoniously threw it outside. She then turned back to Ander, who nodded, thanking her. Everyone carefully moved into the next room, trying not to stir up any more dust. Despite the very visible layer of dust, everything looked to be frozen in time. Aria and Alessin walked together and stepped into the living area. On the couch laid two books and some stuffed animals. They looked towards the fireplace mantle and noticed a human artifact. Though not a digital device, it too was kept in pristine condition, minus the dust. It was an analog camera and next to it on the mantle were picture frames made of wood and glass. They remembered making fun of their father for keeping such silly things and asking him why he didn't turn them into digital copies. He told them that the photos lasted longer, as long as you kept them out of harm's way. Aria picked up a frame and wiped the glass clean with her hand. She began to tear up as she handed the picture to her sister. "Daddy…" Alessin whispered as she ran a finger over the familiar face. Vaylin walked up to them and Alessin showed it to her. It was a picture of their father, Alexander Malice, Ander, when he was about seven years old, and Aria and Alessin at age four. Vaylin looked at the picture and noticed that they looked so happy, except for Ander who was pouting for some reason. Vaylin then took her bag, that she'd brought along, and opened it. It was empty, so they could take whatever they needed. Alessin nodded and put the picture inside, along with the others on the mantle and the artifact. Vaylin closed the bag but was surprised when Aria and Alessin both hugged her. She returned their hug and could feel some tears of her own threatening to fall. Senya made her way over to them and comforted them, while Malavai took care of the boys.

 

Ander took a deep breath and walked into the hallway. It was dark but Arcann and Thexan used their lightsabers for some illumination. Though, when Ander stopped suddenly, everyone tensed up. In front of him was a door with two windows in it. Malavai didn't dare ask Ander to move as he slipped past him. He tried to look through the openings but the dust was far too thick, even after wiping it off, some of it was caked on. Malavai turned back to Ander, who had leaned against the wall, next to the door, and slid down to sit on the dirty floor. "My lord?" Malavai asked as he knelt down beside him. Ander nodded. "He's in there…" Ander breathed in a ragged breath as tears fell from his eyes. Tenebrae appeared before him and tried to keep him calm, before turning to Arcann and Thexan. _Please. Help him get through this._ He whispered. Arcann and Thexan nodded and opened the door for Malavai.

 

Malavai got up from the floor and removed an item from his bag before unfolding the best of the bag. He attached the item, a storage device, to his belt and unfurled the bag. It was actually a body bag and Ander quickly looked away. Malavai entered the room, only to see that it was actually an air-tight environment. The dust which had settled in the rest of the house was not in that room at all. Even the corpse had been mummified. Malavai looked at the body and saw two clear incisions. One in the neck, just above the collarbone and the second, through his chest armor. It wasn't an instant kill but it wasn't long before he passed out and died shortly after.

 

Malavai sighed and placed the body bag on the ground, noticing the stained blood underneath the chair. Arcann and Thexan handled bagging up the body, while Malavai checked the computer on the desk. It was dead… No power in the house and the battery had run dry. Malavai took out his holopad and plugged in the storage device to the computer. He then attached his holopad to the computer's battery and fed it just enough power to turn on and transfer every bit of its data. He was worried that it wouldn't be enough storage but when the transfer completed with a solid one percent of free space remaining, he thanked his lucky stars. Malavai disconnected everything and left the room. Outside, Ander hadn't moved an inch but he looked up at Malavai, only to see Arcann and Thexan leave the room with a weighted bag.

 

Malavai drew his attention back by handing him the storage device. "My lord, I got everything off of the computer, as you asked. Now, how do you want him sent off? Do you want him buried or cremated?" Ander shook his head and stood up. "Pyre. I want him to go by pyre." Everyone looked at Ander with an air of confusion. "It's a wooden platform that you place the body on in a respectful manner and set ablaze. It was used in ancient human society to show respect to the greatest warriors and send them off in a final blaze of glory."

"Okay, we'll get it set up-"

"No, not here. Could we do it on Odessan? I think dad would want a proper funeral." Malavai knew it would take some time to arrange for such a thing but he was not going to tell Ander no. He's suffered enough and deserved a chance to put it all behind him properly. Malavai nodded and turned to Senya. "I'll take care of the documents but will you take them through the rest of the house to make sure they get everything they want?" He asked. Senya nodded and walked up to stand next to Ander. "I will, Major." Malavai thanked her and turned back to Ander. "I will meet you at the spaceport once I've gotten everything. Don't worry about the funeral; I will send out the message to the Alliance. However, your uncle, do you want me to contact him?" Ander nodded and sent him Harkun's personal number, before joining his sisters as they walked through the house.

 

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

 

It took Malavai a good number of tries but he finally managed to get a chance to talk with Overseer Harkun. He had gone over what to tell him in his head but he honestly had no idea what to expect from Harkun. His limited experience with the Sith Overseer told him he cared about Ander but that was it. Harkun's visage appeared on his holoterminal and Malavai knew he had to make a good first impression.

 

"Who are you? How did you get my personal number?" Harkun asked in a rather aggressive tone. "Excuse me, my lord, but I believe you have familial ties with Ander Malice, the Alliance Commander, correct?"

"Yes, why? Did something happen to him?"

"No, my lord. Rather, I am contacting you on his behalf. He recently retrieved his father's corpse and he is requesting your presence on Odessan for the funeral."

"Oh… I see…" Harkun went quiet and took a deep breath. "Alright. I'll be there this evening. Thank you for letting me know." Malavai ended the call after sending Harkun the details for his arrival on Odessan. He also officially retrieved the death certificate and permissions to take the body off-world, before returning to meet his lord at the spaceport. Ander was glad to have him back at his side, pulling the officer into a tight hug. Malavai returned his hug and walked with him onto the shuttle.

 

\-----------------------------------

 

Ander waited up for Harkun. He wanted to tell him so many things but they could wait. Harkun stepped off the shuttle and immediately made a straight beeline to him. Ander was about to greet his uncle when he cut him off. "What is this talk about a funeral?! Who contacted me?! Ander…" Ander shrank in size as Harkun yelled louder. "Why haven't you called me before this?!" Harkun was seething with anger at the young commander. "W-Well…" Ander quietly started, trying to diffuse the situation and explain himself. "My friends offered to help me and my sisters get dad's body, so we didn't have to do it alone. The guy who contacted you was my boyfriend and the reason why I haven't called recently is because I have been busy leading an Alliance to bring peace to the galaxy… at least for a little bit-"

"Hold on a second!" Harkun raised a hand and Ander went silent. "You have a _what_ ? A _boyfriend_? When did you get a boyfriend? Why haven't I met him?"

"It was pretty recent, actually, and we've known each other for a while…" Harkun raised his brow at Ander, who was trying not to incriminate himself accidentally. "Ok…" Harkun took a moment to breathe. "I'm going to ask you two more questions. One, when is the funeral? And two, when can I meet him?" Harkun was no longer yelling at him but Ander was still afraid. His voice was so shaky that he began to stutter quite heavily. "U-um… I-I-I d-don't think that's a g-good idea..."

 

"It's alright, my lord." Ander shot his head up and looked back at Malavai, who calmly walked into the docking bay. He was hoping to make it in time to greet his lord's uncle, knowing full well Ander would delay their meeting to protect him. Harkun narrowed his eyes at the man in full Imperial Military regalia. Of course, Malavai had to wear his best and the jacket gifted to him by his love was definitely _his_ best. "Excuse me for the intrusion and interruption, my lord, but the funeral will take place tomorrow evening. There will be time for a wake, for as long as you need it, and the Alliance will handle any and all official legalities that should come up should you want to stay a little longer." Malavai said as he came to stand beside Ander, who seemed to be quite happy to see him. Ander stood up straight and presented him to Harkun. "Uncle, this is my boyfriend, Malavai Quinn." Malavai bowed before Harkun but the overseer wasn't quite convinced of their relationship. He looked at the officer, studying every detail of him. "Really? A military officer?" Ander nodded and smiled at Malavai. Harkun narrowed his eyes more intently and watched Malavai more closely. He didn't seem to react to any of Ander's affection and stood very still, as though he felt nothing. Harkun was hoping that wasn't the case and had just the thing to find out.

 

"Are you sure he loves you and isn't just with you because he doesn't want to, you know, _die_ ?" As soon as Harkun asked that question, Malavai looked at him dead in the eyes and frowned. He took a deep breath and fixed his gloves, an action he often used for intimidation. "If you are truly implying that I am using my lord's feelings for protection, you are sorely mistaken. Yes, I joined his crew under his master but it was  _my_ choice, not his. Yes, I fought with him because he told me to and it was my job but I find myself _wanting_ to fight alongside him again. I moved in with him when he offered, not because it was my job but because I care and worry for him and when I let him go onto Darth Marr's ship alone, I regretted it every day for six years. I wept every night for a year, wondering if I let him go to die and even considered giving up entirely when it became too difficult to bear that I may never see him again. I love my lord more than you will ever know and I love him enough to stand face to face, unprotected, with a Sith Lord. However, I will not stand by and let you accuse me of using my lord, nor will I let you accuse my lord of mistaking his feelings as anything other than what they are…" Ander was speechless by Malavai's rant. He almost wondered if Harkun was going to hurt him for that, in which case he would defend him but he decided to wait and see. Harkun raised his brow and a smug smile appeared on his face. "One, I'm an Overseer, not a Lord. Overseers are below Lords in power and influence. And two…" Harkun paused, watching Malavai’s expression change from anger to confusion. "I was hoping you'd prove me wrong. You did good, Ander." Ander jumped up excitedly and hugged Harkun before returning to hug Malavai, who happily hugged him in return. Harkun smiled at the couple as he walked past them. "Alright now, where are your sisters?"

"Oh!" Ander released Malavai and went back over to his uncle. "They said they had something to tell you and would be waiting for you in the cantina. Just go out this door, go all the way down the hallway and make a sharp left." Harkun nodded and left the docking bay. Ander turned back to Malavai and smiled but immediately saw someone walk up behind him.

 

"Jaesa?" Malavai turned as his lord said the name and saw the young girl walk up to him. She had seemingly disappeared just before the attack on Nathema, which was unlike her. Ander was especially worried about her and asked some people to stay on Odessan in case they saw her. Ander ran up to her and Malavai. "Where have you been?" She bowed before them and shook her head. "I'm sorry, master, but I had to do some reflection. It couldn't wait. I'm sorry for leaving you and the Alliance when you needed me." Ander didn't look upset at her as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Nothing, not the Alliance nor the galaxy, is more important than your personal health. You have to take care of yourself... Are you okay now?" Jaesa nodded. "I had to come back to be there for you and the funeral. Thank you for sending me a message, Major." Malavai nodded and bowed before her. "Although I didn't know where you were, I sent it anyway." Jaesa nodded and looked up at Ander. "I'm sorry, Master. I won't leave again but thank you for understanding." She said as she walked away. Ander wondered if she was truly alright but Malavai reassured him and they left the docking bay shortly after.

 

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

 

Harkun walked into the cantina to immediately see the Malice twins sitting at a table with the Tirall family. Harkun knew who they were, of course, what with them being the most hated family of the galaxy yet to see the girls laughing and smiling in their presence was confusing for him. "Aria! Alessin!" Harkun called from across the room and the girls immediately looked up and back at him. They jumped out of their seats and practically charged for him. "Woah, woah! No tackling!" He yelled, putting his arms in front of him. The girls immediately stopped in their tracks and frowned, showing off their puppy eyes. However, Harkun was not going to fall for it. "No, you were allowed to tackle when you were _smaller_ and not wearing armor with _sharp_ edges." The girls looked at each other and realized the truth in his statement. Their frown deepened and their height shrank until they finally took on their full _angry munchkin form_. Harkun laughed softly and knelt down, patting them on their heads. "Your brother said you had something to tell me." Their eyes lit up once more and they stood up, surprisingly. Harkun stood back up too, though he wasn't as quick as the girls were. They waited until he was ready before taking a deep breath. "Uncle," They bowed. "We just wanted to say thank you for being a great teacher to us and for supporting us from the very start." Harkun was taken aback by their announcement and stumbled over his words. "Wha- well, heh." Harkun blushed slightly. "An Overseer always strives to influence and drive their students to do great things and well… you two were the best of my class. Despite the fact that Aria was supposed to be in Tremel's class but still…" The girls smiled at him, hugged him and pulled him over to the table where they were sitting. Harkun looked back over at the table and saw the male twins looking his way. They didn't look aggressive or anything but Harkun still wasn't too keen on meeting them.

 

Still, he sat down at the table, with the girls on either side of him. "Guys, this is our Uncle Harkun, even though he isn't related to us, he still sheltered us and took care of us after our dad died." Harkun slowly bowed before them but to his surprise, they greeted him quite respectfully. The girls then turned their attention back to him. "Uncle, this is Senya, Arcann, Thexan, and Vaylin. They were the ones that helped us go back home and get daddy." Senya nodded and greeted Harkun first. "They told us so much about you. I'm happy to know they had such a kind person looking after them." Harkun blushed more and shook his head. "I'm not kind and also these little monsters are the worst. They always find a way to get into trouble-"

"Hey! We aren't monsters!!"

"Oh yes you are. You vandalized the Dark Council Chamber door the day after you came to me." The girls looked at him with wide eyes before a wicked smile painted their faces. "Then, a week later, you rearranged the Holocron library from alphabetical order to _rainbow_ order."

"It was pretty!" Alessin cried out but Harkun hushed her. "I was forced to spend hours rearranging them. That's why they implanted the need for Overseer supervision in the upper rooms. And then! The cherry on top! Was, you girls let a stranger convince you to go into an old Sith tomb where you could be easily killed and no one would know about it." The girls looked away from him, no longer smiling as they realized how much trouble they actually were. Senya was shocked and glared at them. Alessin tried to hide beneath the table while Aria prayed for mercy. Harkun just looked at them I am not amusingly and then back at Senya. "So," He started. "Someone told me you were adopting them? Just a warning, don't let them near the weapons cache." Harkun said before getting up and leaving the cantina. Senya sighed and looked beneath the table, signaling Alessin to come out. The girls sheepishly sat back in their seats and looked up at her. Senya's face softened and she began smiling at them once again. "Don't think this will deter us. You are still joining our family but I will probably take his advice." Her smile was wide but there was something about it that didn't sit right with them. Even Arcann and Thexan looked like they wanted to run away. The girls just nodded and thanked her for her boundless generosity.

 

\-----------------------------------

 

On her way back to her room, Alessin was stopped by Thexan. "Sorry if this seems sudden but I have something to give you." Alessin was surprised to see him without Arcann but he could have probably said the same about her and Aria. "Yes? What is it?" She looked down at his hands which were carrying a small parcel. He handed it to her and signaled for her to open it. Inside the container was a lightsaber, one that she knew all too well. She looked up at him for a well-deserved explanation.

 

Thexan sighed and grabbed his arms behind his back. "When my brother and I led the assault on Korriban, I fought you and your sister. When my brother entered the fight, however, your sister pulled you into the tomb and sealed its entrance. You threw your lightsaber which landed in front of me. I knew you weren't dead but I didn't need to kill you, I just needed to present three enemy owned lightsabers to my father." Alessin looked a little sad but seeing her lightsaber made her feel a bit better. "That's not your original lightsaber." Thexan could guess what she was thinking without reading her mind. "Yours has been destroyed. That one belonged to your father. It was on his person. I had to replace some of its parts after cleaning it but almost all of it is original." Alessin stared at him with unfathomable bewilderment before inspecting the lightsaber more thoroughly. It indeed was, as he said, her father's weapon. Alessin looked back up at him and hugged him. "Thank you." She said before quickly letting him go and running off to show her sister. Thexan waved her goodbye before leaving to return to his own room.

 

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

 

The next day was a day that Ander dreaded for many years. He didn't want to but he finally came to face the fact that his father was dead and had been for many years. The Force users of the Alliance helped to build the funeral pyre as Ander had described. They only had to cut down a couple of smaller trees for the platform and used dry sticks they found on the forest floor for the kindling. Darth Marr and Darth Ravage oversaw the preparation of Alexander's corpse. They thought Ander's choice of cremation was odd but definitely a good way to be sent off and even said they would want to have it done to themselves.

 

That evening, the torch was lit and the pyre soon went up in flames. Both Jedi and Sith, Republic and Empire soldiers stood before the flames. Aria and Alessin stood next to Harkun, who was trying his best not to cry. Ander stood next to Malavai and held his hand tightly as tears threatened to break through. Malavai leaned closer to him and whispered in his ear. "It's okay to cry, my lord. You don't have to hide it any longer." Ander nodded and turned to him, resting his head on Malavai's shoulder. As the tears stung his eyes and the fire climbed higher into the sky, all Ander could think of was the last time his father told him how much he loved him, just the night before.

 

\-----------------------------------

 

Ander laid in his bed and hugged his pillow as his tears slowly continued to flow. He asked Malavai to retrieve the data off of his father's computer and he really wanted to review it after the funeral… but the emotions were overwhelming. He just didn't have the emotional strength to dive into what could have possibly been even more depressing. So, he once again asked Malavai to handle it for him.

 

Malavai searched through the folders and documents on Ander's computer. There had to be a will of some kind. A man with enough paranoia to set up an emergency lockdown and design his office to be airtight should have already had a will ready. Or so Malavai thought, however, he never came across a will, instead he found a curious set of folders. One was labeled _Video Log Diary_ and the other labeled _My Mistakes_. Malavai was curious about the latter but decided to look into the former first. All the videos were numbered and had no other description set to them. Malavai set the first one to play but lowered the volume on it, forcing the subtitles to appear.

 

 _"Oookay…"_ Alexander paused and laughed softly as he shook his head. _"Ah, Harkun is going to think I'm stupid for doing this, but--"_ Another pause as his smile vanished and he looked more seriously at the camera. _"I can't think of anything else that will help. I've done… so many horrible things in my time as a Sith, but to have my mistakes curse my own son with nightmares every night… What can I do to help him? I… really don't know anymore."_ The video ended suddenly and Malavai was speechless. Ander's depression had always been a concern of his and if these videos held the reason for it, perhaps Malavai could finally help him. He backed out of the folder and entered the other one. There were more video logs… Malavai was hoping there would be documents or pictures he could search through, instead, he was left with watching the videos one by one.

  
He started with the first numeral and waited as it started up. It wasn't a particularly large file but rather the first minute of it had a black screen. After that, however, it came through as a monochromatic image and from an odd angle. Malavai suspected that he was watching a security camera feed but as the video continued, he found pieces of it to be far too familiar. Still, he ignored the thought and continued to watch the video. It was a Sith power demonstration. He'd seen it at least five times during his career. Yet, this one was so familiar… Malavai looked closer at the screen, he wanted to see if he could make out any faces, however, he didn't need to when he saw a child run on screen, towards the line of people. He then watched as a by standing soldier ran out and grabbed him before the line of people were effectively electrocuted just a few feet behind him. Malavai looked on in bewilderment. He couldn't believe it. He, himself, was in that demonstration. He remembered everything. That was a reason why he hated the Sith. That particular Sith had let his three-year-old son attend the event. _Was that child, Ander?_ Malavai thought. He could see the resemblance now but still… Malavai closed the video and turned off the computer. He got up and returned to the bed, sitting on the edge of it. He turned and looked down at the red hair that covered Ander's head. He loved his hair. It was a rare shade of red that had evolved to be a dominant gene despite its rare appearance. Malavai brushed Ander's hair with his hand and leaned down to place a kiss on his. Ander stirred beneath him and turned over to look up at him. "Did you… find anything?" Malavai shook his head and laid down beside his lord. "I think it would be better if we looked through it together." Ander nodded, wrapped his arms around Malavai’s torso and moved to lay his head on the officer's chest. "Okay…" Malavai hugged him back and pulled the covers over them. He held Ander tightly as they both drifted off to sleep, yet he couldn't forget what he saw on that video. Is that truly what started it all? Or was there more to it? Questions that would have to be answered another day...


	37. One Final Mistake

Jaesa woke up in a cold sweat. She looked around her room, noticing how dark it still was, as though she hadn't slept at all. She looked at the time, two in the morning… Though she should have, she didn't want to go back to sleep. It wasn't as if she could anyway, so she got up and got dressed. She grabbed her lightsaber and left her room.

 

She wondered where she could go for some private meditation. Obviously, her room was an option but it felt far too cold and lonely to her. It was a far cry from her time with Grand Master Shan in the woods. The fire's glow and the warm food that was offered to her was a nice getaway. They didn't talk much but Jaesa got the advice she needed at that time. When she saw Arcann’s will reach out to her, it was a blessing she didn't know how to process and yet she wanted it so badly. To personally witness that someone loved you back without the words was breathtaking. Yet, as she thought more on it, the more it depressed her. She had run from him that day. She wouldn't blame him if he no longer felt that way about her. Though, an idea came upon her… What if she just had a look? That's what really led her to her Master, after all, was following his will to the Captain. Though how he did it stuck in carbonite was a mystery after all, but if she did it back then… _Maybe?_ Jaesa thought as she concentrated and looked down to her waist. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw that golden weave around her waist. She followed the line around the corner and then through a closed door. She exited her meditation and saw it was Arcann’s room. She sighed quietly. It would be rude to wake him up and she slowly began to walk away, but as she did, she heard the door open. She immediately turned around to see Arcann poke his head out of the doorway and lock eyes with her.

 

"Ms. Willsaam?" He asked as he bowed before her. _Formal as always._ She thought as she bowed as well. "Did you need something of me?" Jaesa wanted to just tell him, outright, about their shared feelings but she found herself faltering. "Oh, well, yes, but it can wait until the morning. I'm sorry for waking you." Arcann looked to the ground and frowned. "Actually, I was already awake but if you wish to be alone this morning, I understand." Jaesa's heart ached for the man and before she knew it, she had taken hold of his hand. Arcann looked at her, expecting her to tell him something. Though she didn't, not for a while. Jaesa panicked and released his hand. "Oh, sorry. If you want to, you are more than welcome to accompany me in some meditation." Arcann nodded and closed the door behind him.

 

Together, they walked through the empty hallways, never too close nor too far from each other. Jaesa hated the silence. It was worse than being alone. Why was love so complicated? Why couldn't she just tell him and be done with it? Jaesa released her frustrations with a low groan. Arcann stopped abruptly and wondered what she was thinking. "Am I… bothering you?" Jaesa spun around and shook her head furiously. "No! No, I was just thinking of unnecessary things. I just…" She sighed and looked up at him. "Could we talk somewhere privately?" Arcann looked at her with an understanding gaze, an action that took her breath away, before nodding and taking the lead.

 

They walked up a flight of stairs that Jaesa had never seen before, and she had overseen the construction of the entire base. Still, she followed Arcann all the way up. At the top, he stopped, opened the door and let Jaesa pass first. She walked out into the blinding light of the Odessan sunrise. Looking around, she realized that she was treading on grass, graced by the morning dew, and stood amongst the tall spruce trees. They stood on top of the Alliance base, in full view of the beautiful scenery that was Odessan. Jaesa smiled at the beauty of it all and turned to look at Arcann, who smiled back at her. "Will this do?" He asked softly. She nodded and walked over to the cliff edge. She gazed out over the wide landscape and took a seat, right on the edge, letting her legs dangle off of it. Arcann wasted no time in joining her, sitting next to her. He took a moment, enjoying the sight of her smiling face, before continuing. "You wanted to talk?" Jaesa nodded and looked down at her hands and the Force that swirled in between her fingers. "I took some time away to think. After I saw what you looked like with my special sight, I began to question myself… I'm sorry if this sounds ridiculous…"

"No, it's fine. I'm sorry if I made you feel like your power was a lie. I actually spoke with my father- Tenebrae after he and the Commander returned with the Gravestone. He said your power is real and he never told my brother and me the whole truth of how the Force worked. Still, I'm sorry…" Jaesa shook her head and laughed softly. "It's fine but what I meant was… I wondered if I was good enough…" Arcann looked at her questionably. "If I deserved to be loved by you." Jaesa looked at Arcann with soft eyes and red cheeks. "In other words, Arcann, I like you too." Arcann went silent as he tried to process her confession to him and inadvertently scoffed. "If anyone doesn't deserve anything, it's me." Jaesa laughed softly and stole his attention once again. "I thought you were scoffing at me!" She laughed loudly as Arcann turned bright red. "That's not true. You've done so much to prove everyone wrong and even back then, I knew you weren't really like that."

"Really?"

"Mhm. Master said, _you aren't really you when you're angry._ I believe that completely, now." Arcann blushed even deeper as another small smile graced his face. Jaesa couldn't help herself any longer and reached up, grabbing either side of Arcann’s face and gently kissed him. Arcann fumbled into the kiss but soon found his center and returned it in full. He took hold of her smaller waist and pulled her towards him, before wrapping her in a strong embrace. They finally broke apart and were greeted by each other's gaze. They both blushed deeply until Jaesa released a small yawn. "Oh, excuse me." Arcann shook his head and took her by the hand, kissing the top of it. "Let me escort you back to your room." Jaesa smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Prince Arcann." Arcann blushed and turned from her. "Don't call me that. I'm not a prince anymore…" Jaesa laughed. "You still act like one but I suppose I still act like a servant girl most days…"

"Hardly…" Arcann smiled and took her by the hand again, leading her back to her room.

 

\-----------------------------

 

Shortly after dropping off Jaesa, Arcann walked down into the command center, only to be surprised to see Malavai. The officer looked up and greeted him. "Arcann," He started. "What has you up so early?" Arcann blushed and tried to avoid eye contact. "Nothing, sir," Arcann said as he quickly walked past and left the room. Malavai was curious but decided against pushing any further and went back to what he was doing. He was using Alliance resources, with Ander's permission, to do some research. He suspected that he had come into contact with Ander and his father before but didn't want to assume anything yet. Malavai did some cross-references with Imperial Intelligence's records and the security footage he watched last night. Imperial Intelligence kept records and details on every video they had. This included time stamps and location. Normally, getting that type of information would be a nightmare but thanks to Ander's login, Malavai was given instant access. He didn't really want to do such an underhanded thing but this was to his lord's benefit as well.

 

Finally, he found the same security footage and checked the description. Location: **Corellia**. Date was… No, that couldn't have been right. Malavai reread the time stamp, no change. Malavai slumped over the screen with his head in his hands. _So, it's true…_ He thought. Malavai picked himself back up and logged out of the computer, before returning to his room.

 

Ander was awake and dressed, used to Malavai's sleep and work schedule. He was laying on the bed and watching some humorous videos on his holopad. Malavai smiled and walked up to him. He waited for a moment before leaning over into his line of sight. Ander glanced over and immediately threw the holopad onto the bed, smiling up at him. "Malavai! You're back!" He sounded so happy and excited, which made Malavai smile more. "Did you find what you needed?" Malavai nodded and took a seat on the edge of the bed. Ander sat up and moved to sit beside him, excited to hear all about it. "Yes, my lord, though, before I tell you, you must promise me you won't overreact." Ander tilted his head. "What do you mean overreact? Why?" Malavai sighed and tried to think of a clear answer. Ander frowned and nodded. "Okay, I think I get it. Don't freak out."

"Yes, exactly my lord."

"Alright, I'll try." Malavai gently kissed Ander, thanking him quietly. "Well, my lord… I have actually met you once before Balmorra, on Corellia…" Ander looked at him questionably. "It was… right after your third birthday, a week after, to be exact. Your father had brought you along to one of his power demonstrations and he chose my platoon to participate." Ander turned ghostly white but Malavai told him to wait a little longer. "My wife was serving in the same platoon. He must have been mind reading us, as he chose her but skipped over me." Ander was still shocked as to what he was hearing but continued to listen. "Then, as he began to kill them, I remember hearing a child scream out and run towards him. I intercepted that child and held him still until I knew it was safe. Your father approached me and asked me why I was holding his child, to which I explained that I did it for his safety. He quietly thanked me and left with his son. I'm sure you have realized already, but that child was you, my lord." Ander was still in a state of shock as he grabbed Malavai’s arm and leaned into him. The officer sighed and wondered if he was too quick to deliver such jarring news. He should have- well, did predict that Ander wouldn't have taken it well and yet he decided to lay it all down on him anyway. He held the young Sith closely against himself and kissed the top of his head. "My lord..." Ander glanced up at his stalwart soldier, who held a sorrowful expression. "All I ask is you harbor no hate or anger towards your father. He was a good man and he loved you very much, but he did everything in his power to protect you." Ander pushed himself up and met his lover's gaze. "Would you forgive him for the things he's done?"

 

Malavai had no idea why but the question hit him like a ton of bricks. In the past, he would have said no but he had grown and learned so much from the Sith that sat before him. He couldn't lie that he believed he had changed his outlook on the Sith and even much of life. "I already have, my lord. It was a long time ago and if this event brought me to meet you… then I would gladly redo it all again." Ander was taken aback from his answer and turned away. He nodded slowly and stood up from the bed. "I think… I just need to be alone for a while…" Malavai wanted to reach for him, to hold him and tell him it would be alright but as Ander left the room, he wondered why he didn't try.

 

\-----------------------------

 

Ander stormed into the Force Enclave and made his way to the back. He took a seat next to the waterfall and began to meditate. He stayed in that trance-like state for what seemed like a couple of seconds until he felt a tap on his shoulder. Ander opened his eyes and saw that he was surrounded by quite a few of his Sith and Jedi friends. Timmns was the one who got his attention and the first to speak up. "Hey, Commander… what's got you so troubled?"

"Yes, you're displeasure could be felt from the hallway." Darth Marr added. Ander sighed and relaxed his shoulders. "Apparently, my father, a man I believed to be kind and caring had committed horrible atrocities that affected not only myself but Malavai as well." The Sith, especially the elders, in the room looked amongst each other and shrugged. "Most of us have all committed some sort of _atrocity_ but it really depends on _what_ and _when_." Darth Ravage said. Ander looked at him questionably. "Well, he did a power demonstration when I was three years old… So about twenty-four years ago?" Darth Marr made a sound that resembled a scoff but sounded more genuinely relieved, which confused Ander. "Is that all? Listen, Commander, things were very different back then. I'll admit, I probably only added to the turmoil and discourse in the Sith community but that's what young age and bravado does to you." Darth Marr paused, shaking his head at his past stupid antics for glory. "No, the Empire and thus the Sith were in a state of reassembling and reconstructing their numbers. We wanted all future Sith to be as bloodthirsty and savage as the legends before them. At that time, if you weren't raising your kids to be raving lunatics, you weren't fit to have them at all. The Sith Academy would send Dark Honor Guards to your house and take your children by force. If you resisted, you'd be killed. If your children didn't adopt the training or conditioning quickly enough, they'd be killed or sold into slavery."

 

The Jedi in the room were equally as disgusted and shocked as Ander was. "You can't be serious, Marr! Do you guys still do that?" Timmns asked, genuinely worried for the children of the Empire, but Marr shook his head. "Not for about fifteen years. We quickly realized how it wasn't very helpful to us, as the infighting became more and more unbearable." Marr clarified but then turned back to Ander. "I'm sure your father did that to keep the Academy at bay. He obviously didn't want you to be trained by anyone other than himself. Besides, you turned out fine. Even if you have a little bit of trauma but then, who doesn't?" Marr laughed softly and patted Ander on the shoulder, before leaving the room. Ravage looked down at the young commander and gave him a reassuring smile, before leaving the room as well with Cytharat not far behind him. Timmns side and knelt down beside Ander. "My condolences, Commander…" Yet the smile and soft laughter Timmns received, was not what he expected and looked over at him. Ander smile grew larger and he closed his eyes. "Actually, I think I'm okay now. I mean I'll never be _not_ broken, but that's okay. I have someone to help put me back together when I need it." Timmns quietly laughed. "You really do have a weird way of explaining things, what with the double negative and all. Hmm… but it somehow makes more sense that way." Ander nodded and quietly thanked Timmns before he too left the Enclave.

 

Returning to his room, Ander found Malavai sulking at the computer. He smiled as he made his way over to him. Malavai always denied it when he was accused of it, but Ander could always tell when he was. The Commander approached slowly and gently rested his hands on the officer's shoulders. Malavai jumped at the sudden touch and whipped his head around only to realize who it was and return to his brooding. He took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, my lord."

"For what?" Ander asked as he slid forward, draping his arms onto Malavai's chest, before folding them back to embrace him. Ander rested his head on his arm, leaving his face to lie parallel to Malavai's. The officer didn't bat an eye as he looked down at his hands on the desk. "For telling you about everything so soon. I should have known you wouldn't have been ready. I'm a fool and I'm sorry." Ander hummed and brought one hand up to run through Malavai’s hair. He laid a kiss on his love's cheek and pulled him deeper into his embrace. "You aren't a fool and you don't have to be sorry. Whether you told me today or three years from now, I would have still had the same reaction. I just needed time to think things through but you shouldn't blame yourself for that." Malavai listened closely to that soft, kind voice comfort him as a shiver ran up his spine. He clenched his eyes shut as he felt a wave of emotions threaten to break the dam. "However, now, you will harbor hatred for a man who doesn't deserve it…" Ander shook his head and continued to close the gap between them. "I won't hate him…" Malavai opened his eyes and blinked away the stray tears. "But I won't forgive him, either. I hope that's okay with you…" Malavai nodded slowly and finally turned around to face Ander, before standing up and returning his embrace. "I'm ready to see what else he left for me," Ander whispered softly. Malavai nodded and took Ander's face into his hands. "I'll bare it all with you, the good and the bad."

"Thank you, Malavai."

"Of course, my lord."

 

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

 

 _"If or when the time comes, and you have watched all my final wishes and words for you, you feel the need and urge to seek out the one who killed me… Harkun knows who did it and he will point you in the right direction…"_ The video cut off and Ander was at a loss for words. Malavai remained silent until his lord finally broke the silence. "He knew… He knew all along that he was going to die…"

"So it seems, my lord." Ander shook his head and walked away from the desk. "I can't believe that he knew he was going to die and didn't try to stop it!" Ander shouted, turning back to the screen in anger in frustration. He looked at the frozen image of his father and cursed under his breath. "Shit. Uncle Harkun already left this morning. I should have made him stay." Malavai stood from his seat, closing the program before turning to Ander. "We could go see him."

"Yeah, but you will have to stay here. I don't want you having an episode." Malavai shook his head. "My lord, I recently acquired a night vision visor. I believe that will dissolve any such possibility." Ander smiled but sighed softly. "You aren't going to let me leave without you, are you?" Malavai shook his head. "We are better together, my lord." Ander agreed completely and hugged the officer. "Alright, let's go."

 

Malavai and Ander walked into the Sith Academy, much to the surprise of the young acolytes and passing Overseers. Ever since Ander's duel with Darth Baras, the video that immortalized his fight and ascension as the Emperor's Wrath had become a staple in the Sith Academy's historical lineage. Many Overseers used him as an example to strive for, while newer acolytes believed the video to be faked and the man to be a mere legend. However, as he walked passed them in the halls, whispers of both excitement and fear began to spread amongst them. Ander ignored them and glanced down to Malavai, who kept a hand on his pistol. "Are you sure you don't want me to get you a new gun?" Malavai didn't look up at him but he did smile slightly. "This one has served me faithfully so far and I suspect it will continue to do so." Ander stifled a giggle. "It's a gun, Malavai, not a mirror." Malavai looked up at him, desperately wanting to punch him. "My lord!" He whispered. "Though I suppose you are correct."

 

They entered Harkun's classroom. The Overseer was in the middle of a session, so they waited next to the door. Although they didn't announce their presence, Harkun noticed them and was trying his best to get through everything so he could address them. He finally dismissed his students and sat down at his desk. Ander made his way over to him. "Uncle." He greeted, but Harkun knew he wasn't there for leisure. "Get on with it. You're here for information…"

"There was a video log Dad left for me that said, if I wanted to, you'd know who killed him and you'd tell me where to find them." Harkun cursed under his breath. "I don't care what he told you. I won't tell you shit. He's been dead for years and she hasn't even tried to come for you-"

"She?" Harkun rubbed his face with his hand and shook his head. "Shit… Listen, Ander. I know how you might be feeling but you don't want to fight her. It isn't worth it."

"Why?! Uncle, I'm not a kid anymore. I can defend myself. Just tell me who did it!" Harkun sighed and looked Ander dead in the eyes. "It was your mother." Ander's jaw dropped and he went silent. Harkun used that opportunity to explain. "She was bat-shit crazy. A Dark Side Jedi with an enormous headcount and a wicked sense of romance. Your dad fell for her almost immediately. They spent a few years together but shortly after she gave birth to your sisters, she revealed what she wanted of you kids. She wanted to experiment on you guys, warping you with implants and the Dark Side of the Force. She wanted to create immortal war machines out of her own children… Your dad wanted nothing to do with her after that and stole you guys away, hiding you from her."

"But…" Ander started. "Why didn't she come for us when Dad died?" Harkun scoffed at the question. "How could she? Your dad sent you to me in the Sith Academy because he knew you'd be safe. She would have to go through the elite Dark Honor Guards, fourteen Overseers, and possibly the Dark Council on any given day. Not only that but she's on the Sith's most wanted list. As soon as her ship enters Imperial Space, she'll be attacked by any and every nearby fleet. There was no way she would have been able to get near you guys. Even after you left the Academy, you kids were given the same ship that every Sith apprentice has - if Baras said it was _special_ , it wasn't, they give out that Fury-class ship like candy. Not to mention, now, the Alliance makes you all untouchable-"

"Also the Sith Emperor ghost that inhabits my body because we are friends…" Harkun gave Ander a blank stare. Ander looked away and slowly shrugged. "I mean… He has been listening this entire time and really doesn't appreciate the fact that my own mother was worse than he was and wants her dead…"

"Are you serious-" Harkun started, looking around Ander and only then realizing the ghostly figure floating next to him. "Oh. How did I not see him before? Wait, never mind. That doesn't matter." Harkun pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alright, fine. Her name Sehlia He'ivan." Ander nodded. "Thanks, Uncle…"

"Yeah, yeah. Just get out of here…" Harkun looked away and returned to preparing the next lesson plan. Ander turned away and made his way to the door when Harkun called out. "Don't get your sisters killed! You might have a Sith Emperor protecting your ass but they don't!" Ander smiled and waved goodbye to him, as he and Malavai left the Academy.

 

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

 

They returned to Odessan and called Senya, Aria, and Alessin into a private meeting. Ander only wanted to include his sisters but Tenebrae urged him to bring Senya into it. He wasn't too keen on the idea until Tenebrae said it was only fair if Malavai was to accompany them. Ander gave in and invited Senya to hear what he'd learn.

 

As expected, Aria and Alessin were mortified. They cursed and swore to kill her. Ander didn't bother to calm them and thought their reaction was warranted. Senya, however, was silent. Her expression looked worrisome but she made no attempt to convince them not to go after her, which Ander appreciated. However, when Senya finally stood up from her seat and grabbed her lightsaber, she looked at them with a sort of unbridled fury. "I understand you kids will want to avenge your father but I too would like to have a few choice words with this Sehlia…" Ander nodded and looked to Malavai. On one hand, he didn't want to bring him into harm's way but on the other, he wanted him to be there. Malavai also seemed to be on the same wavelength as he took Ander's hand into his own. "No matter what awaits you, my lord, we will face it together." Ander nodded and looked to his sisters and _new_ mother. "Let's finish this."

 

\-----------------------------

 

The search for Sehlia wasn't an easy one, as the Alliance's resources and extended reach had made quite a few useful allies. However, although Sehlia He'ivan was a Jedi, she was not well liked by the rest of the Jedi Order. In fact, she was ousted by the Order long before Zakuul attacked. The Republic also didn't keep tabs on her and practically erased all information that she ever existed. Somehow though, they received a tip from an anonymous source that said they had heard a woman call herself _"He'ivan"_ on Tatooine. Ander wasted no time and they all made their way to the desert planet in search of more clues…

 

Aria walked back into the cantina and Alessin quickly got up to greet her. Aria was more level-headed when it came to almost everything, which is why she decided to go out by herself to talk to some locals and gather information. Alessin was quite upset when she had suggested it and even more so when everyone agreed it was for the best. Still, Alessin was very glad to see her sister return to her side. "Did you find anything?" She asked, hugging her sister. Aria returned her hug but sighed. "Most people won't say anything about her. As soon as I mention her name they tell me to leave it and run away…" Alessin frowned, sharing her sister's disappointment. "But there was this one guy who said he had seen her. He said that she was looking for a sketchy mechanic and overheard her threatening a street rat for information." Ander perked his head up at that and looked to his sisters. He got up from his seat and went over to them. "What mechanic? I'll go look for him." Aria hesitated in telling him and Malavai took the chance to offer his viewpoint. "My lord, I don't think that would be wise. This sounds like a trap." Ander was about to argue when Senya stepped in, as well. "The Major is right. This sounds like she knows we are looking for her. I was worried that our urgency to find her may have been too loud. This seems too much like a trap." Ander sighed and admitted defeat, letting Senya continue. "I know you want to be rid of her, since it is likely she won't stop hunting you if she finds you once…" Aria and Alessin nodded, sad that their real mother wanted nothing but to use them. "But I won't let you run into death. Though I'm sure Tenebrae would protect Ander, I doubt we could do anything if we were to be separated. We need to stick together and go slow." Senya explained. Tenebrae appeared next to Ander and though everyone but Malavai could see him, they all heard him. Tenebrae had been experimenting with Ander's personal holoterminal and had managed to be able to get his voice to be projected through its speakers, though only in short quick bursts of dialogue. The first time Malavai heard it came as quite a shock but he quickly got used to it. "Hold up-" Everyone went silent as the white noise continued to be emitted from the small device. "Someone's coming-" They all tensed up and reached for their weapons. Although the cantina was empty, they dished out a lot of credits to rent the entire building for a couple of days, it wasn't unlikely for the occasional civilian to accidentally walk in. Though, normally, Tenebrae didn't tell them about it beforehand. This was different.

 

They heard a lightsaber unsheath and quickly prepared themselves for a fight. As the light of a green lightsaber got brighter and closer, it felt as though the air got thinner. Just before the figure was about to round the corner, three trained Manka cats ran into the room and lunged for them. Ander flawlessly sliced through two of them, while Alessin electrocuted the third. Ander looked down at the smoking corpse and then back up at the doorway, only to see a hooded woman with a green lightsaber before him. She shook her head. "How rude. They only wanted a _kiss_ ." Her voice was completely saturated with a threatening charm. Ander didn't even know one could do that until he heard it. The woman removed her hood to reveal piercing red eyes and black hair. Strangely, though, she didn't have any Dark Side corruption markings. However, that hardly mattered when Ander heard a grunt and a quiet thud come from behind him. He turned and realized that Malavai wasn't wearing the visor. The officer choked on his breath and fell to his knees, his eyes were widely staring at the ground and he was beginning to have trouble breathing. Ander rushed to his side and grabbed his torso, pulling him closer. The woman laughed uproariously at the whole situation. "Oh my. That's so funny. The people looking for me can't even look _at_ me!" Senya grit her teeth and walked straight up to the woman. She looked at Senya and her smile faded. "You. Your name is He'ivan?" The woman sighed. "Yes, and no, I don't care about you. Though I am surprised to see my stolen children with you… Have you come to return them?" She asked mockingly. Aria and Alessin were easily angered by the woman's ignorance, acting as though they weren't present. They wanted to scream at her but Senya signaled them to remain quiet. "No." Sehlia didn't react well to Senya's response. She cursed and spat at the Knight Captain. "What right do you have to keep my own flesh and blood from me?!" She snapped. "I don't but you have no right to use them for your own gains! How could you ever think about hurting these people? They deserve far more than to be your goddamn servants! You don't deserve to be a mother." Senya shouted, which was surprising for her as she was normally so refined and reserved. She then looked to the twins and nodded.

 

Alessin smiled wickedly and stepped forward. "Finally…" She raised her hands and gathered the Force in between her palms. In a split second, purple lightning shot out towards Sehlia. The exiled Jedi raised her blade, letting it absorb the blow. Aria joined her sister and charged Sehlia with a rather risky stab. However, it paid off as Sehlia had no choice but to parry her, leaving her open to Alessin's Force Lightning. The Inquisitor did not let up, even as the Jedi cried out in agony. At first, the electricity coursing throughout her body was only paralyzing but it didn't take long before it began to burn. Her flesh quickly caught on fire and only then did Alessin cease her attack. Sehlia fell to the floor, writhing in pain. Alessin walked up to look down on her. "Well, _Mother_ , how does it feel? If it hurts, it's nothing compared to the pain we faced when you took away our father…" Alessin was ruthlessly cruel to the crippled savage, though it was clear that she didn't care as she walked away. Aria also stepped back when Sehlia tried to reach for her. There was no way she was going to offer her a merciful end.

 

The girls walked back to Ander, who was cradling Malavai in his arms. The esteemed officer was still having trouble breathing and was shaking harder than before, all while quietly pleading to be spared and apologizing profusely. They looked down at Ander and saw the unbridled sadness and regret painted on his face. He looked up at them, still holding Malavai close to him. "End it, please." Aria nodded and walked back over to the Jedi, pulled out her lightsaber and shoved it into her chest. Sehlia's body went limp and her eyes lost their red glow, returning to their original sterling green. Alessin winced, seeing her own eyes had come from such a monster. Still, it was finally over and Senya helped Ander calm Malavai down, while Aria and Alessin had the body disposed of, before finally returning to Odessan.

 

\-----------------------------

 

Malavai stepped out of the bathroom and walked over to Ander, who was sitting on the bed. He stood in front of him and bowed before him, looking down at the ground in shameful regret. "I'm sorry you had to see that, my lord. I should have been better prepared for such an event." Ander shook his head and stood up from the bed, before approaching the officer. He caressed Malavai's cheek and tilted his chin up to look at him. "You have nothing to apologize for. It's not your fault that people hurt you. You hold no responsibility for others actions and I will make sure you never get hurt again. I will protect you." Ander embraced Malavai and kissed him tenderly. He held him close and only pulled away to gaze into his eyes. "No one will hurt you. No one will scare you. You have nothing to fear." A shiver ran down Malavai’s spine as Ander spoke and he nodded. "Yes, my lord…"


End file.
